Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Plimmerton 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 completely compliant by 1 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified to assess 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on 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 suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Plimmerton rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Plimmerton rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Plimmerton

Plimmerton rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on 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 heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Plimmerton

Every living space of a rental house must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Plimmerton

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier for the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of 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 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Plimmerton

Property rental areas that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Plimmerton include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.