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 make sure their Kingsley Heights rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 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 check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

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

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Kingsley Heights rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Kingsley Heights rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Kingsley Heights Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in homes. A damp house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Kingsley Heights

Rental properties in Kingsley Heights require a reliable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it may need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes it easier for the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 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 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

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley Heights

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over in the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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