Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Kelson 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Kelson, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the standard of Kelson rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Kelson rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Kelson Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kelson

Rental properties in Kelson require a reliable source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kelson

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Kelson

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make it easier to the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kelson Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelson

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Kelson include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.