Healthy Homes Assessment Stokes Valley

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Stokes Valley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by 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 whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Stokes Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Stokes Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Stokes Valley, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Stokes Valley rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Stokes Valley rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Stokes Valley Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Stokes Valley

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Stokes Valley

Rental properties in Stokes Valley must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Stokes Valley

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air will be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to be able open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Stokes Valley

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the house to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater 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 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Stokes Valley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Stokes Valley

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Stokes Valley include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Stokes Valley for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.