Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Kingsley Heights rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified 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 check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified to evaluate 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease 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 information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Kingsley Heights rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Kingsley Heights rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the house require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kingsley Heights

Rental properties in Kingsley Heights should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation 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 standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley Heights

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Kingsley Heights include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.