Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley Heights

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that 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 fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified for each of 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley Heights rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Kingsley Heights, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Kingsley Heights rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Kingsley Heights rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Kingsley Heights Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley Heights

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kingsley Heights

Kingsley Heights rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might just require an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kingsley Heights

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Kingsley Heights

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley Heights Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley Heights

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Kingsley Heights include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley Heights for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• 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 on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.