Healthy Homes Assessment Kelburn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Kelburn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Kelburn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Kelburn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting 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 current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Kelburn, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Kelburn rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control within Kelburn rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Kelburn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelburn

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in homes. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kelburn

Rental properties in Kelburn should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on 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 and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kelburn

Every living space of the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Kelburn

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist 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 remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelburn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is 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 property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelburn

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Kelburn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelburn for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.