Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure 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 completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within 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 landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet 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. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Kingsley Heights rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Kingsley Heights rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, 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. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Kingsley Heights

Kingsley Heights rental properties should have a permanent heating source which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to allow the house to keep 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 it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley Heights

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley Heights include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

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