Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information 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 not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Plimmerton rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Plimmerton rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Plimmerton

Rental properties in Plimmerton should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 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 and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it may need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is much easier 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 all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Plimmerton

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to the home to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Plimmerton include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home evaluation.