Healthy Homes Assessment Melrose

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Melrose rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Melrose, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Melrose rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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 for Melrose rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Melrose

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Melrose

Rental properties in Melrose need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Melrose

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Melrose

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy for the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist 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 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Melrose Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

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 the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Melrose

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Melrose include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Melrose for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in an home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.