Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Kingsley Heights rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details required 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Kingsley Heights rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Kingsley Heights rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Kingsley Heights Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever 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 building when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of 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.

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Kingsley Heights

Rental properties in Kingsley Heights require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like a heat pump, then it might just need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Every living space of a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position 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 cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to the house to retain warmth.

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 can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture 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 Kingsley Heights

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.