Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that 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 a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation 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 necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing 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 daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Kingsley Heights rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the home warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Kingsley Heights

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

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kingsley Heights 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 it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley Heights

Property rental areas that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.