Healthy Homes Assessment Kelson

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Kelson rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Kelson rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Kelson, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Kelson rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Start now and call about having a Kelson Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelson

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kelson

Kelson rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kelson

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living 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 cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Kelson

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make it easier for the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of 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 underfloor R 1.3
• 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelson Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelson

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kelson include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelson for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.