Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Kingsley Heights rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done and provide the report with all the information required to complete 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 conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on the Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Kingsley Heights rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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 in Kingsley Heights rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Kingsley Heights Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kingsley Heights

Kingsley Heights rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy for the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property 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 to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The 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 through the Healthy Homes Standards in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home assessment.