Healthy Homes Assessment Melrose

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Melrose rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in 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 healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified 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 brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Melrose, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Melrose rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Melrose rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Melrose Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melrose

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Melrose

Rental properties in Melrose must have a fixed heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Melrose

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Melrose

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make more easy for the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

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

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

Melrose Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps 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 Melrose

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Melrose include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melrose for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting the house review to determine if your rental property meets the 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?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.