Healthy Homes Assessment Kilbirnie

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Kilbirnie rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 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. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely 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 contract is signed on a Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Kilbirnie rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Kilbirnie, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Kilbirnie rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Kilbirnie rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Kilbirnie Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kilbirnie

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into the house require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Kilbirnie

Kilbirnie rental properties must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kilbirnie

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Kilbirnie

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to allow the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kilbirnie Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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 Kilbirnie

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through The Healthy Homes Standards in Kilbirnie include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kilbirnie for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.