Healthy Homes Assessment Roseneath

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be completed, and provide a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Roseneath rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Roseneath rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request 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 necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Roseneath, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Roseneath rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Roseneath rental properties.

Start now and call about the Roseneath Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Roseneath

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test all windows and doors during an 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 Roseneath

Rental properties in Roseneath must have a fixed heating source which can warm the living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Roseneath

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Roseneath

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier for the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Roseneath Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Roseneath

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Roseneath include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Roseneath for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.