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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified for both 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 contract is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and request a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Plimmerton rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Plimmerton

Rental properties in Plimmerton must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Plimmerton

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to the home to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

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

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in the house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.