Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete 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 under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for 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 in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Plimmerton rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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 on Plimmerton rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being houses

Heating Plimmerton

Rental properties in Plimmerton should have a permanent heating source which can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Plimmerton

Every living space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Plimmerton

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

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

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

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

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Plimmerton include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house 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 Tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home assessment.