Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

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 that their Kelson rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation 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 connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and 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 brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

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

It is important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Kelson, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Kelson rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control for Kelson rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Kelson Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building when the home is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kelson

Kelson rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is 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 of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kelson

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Kelson

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelson 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 about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelson

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Kelson include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.