Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

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 are now required to make sure that their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required 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 violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

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

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to remember that landlords who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Plimmerton rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

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 Plimmerton rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Plimmerton

Plimmerton rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the 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 health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Plimmerton

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to allow the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 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.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps 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 Plimmerton

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house assessment.