Healthy Homes Assessment Melrose

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Melrose rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant 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 assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed and offer a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified for 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 new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Melrose, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Melrose rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Melrose rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melrose

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Melrose

Rental properties in Melrose require a reliable source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 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 source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Melrose

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Melrose

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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 standard.

Melrose Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Melrose

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Melrose include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melrose for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.