Healthy Homes Assessment Normandale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Normandale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Normandale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Normandale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Normandale, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Normandale rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs 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 as Draught Control on Normandale rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Normandale

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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 entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Normandale

Rental properties in Normandale should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Normandale

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air will be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Normandale

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation 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 mould and damp, and it will make much easier to allow the home to keep the heat.

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

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

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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Normandale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps to prevent 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 Normandale

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Normandale include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Normandale for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.