Healthy Homes Assessment Newlands

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Newlands rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Newlands rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, 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 property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to note that landlords with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Newlands, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the quality of Newlands rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Newlands rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Newlands Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Newlands

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A damp house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from your home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure when the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Newlands

Rental properties in Newlands should have a permanent heating source that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Newlands

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Newlands

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to the household to hold warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Newlands Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Newlands

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Newlands include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Newlands for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.