Healthy Homes Assessment Homedale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Homedale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Homedale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Homedale, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the quality of Homedale rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Homedale rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Homedale Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Homedale

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Homedale

Homedale rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Homedale

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air is more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Homedale

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Homedale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Homedale

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standards in Homedale include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Homedale for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.