Healthy Homes Assessment Newlands

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Newlands rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of 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 associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Newlands, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the standard of Newlands rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Newlands rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Newlands Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newlands

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out of your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Newlands

Newlands rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Newlands

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Newlands

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier for the house to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Newlands Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newlands

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Newlands include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newlands for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over during the home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.