Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be done and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an house inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Homedale, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Homedale rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Homedale rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Homedale

Rental properties in Homedale should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Homedale

Each liveable space in a rental house must include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Homedale

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the house to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Homedale

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Homedale include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental property house evaluation.