Healthy Homes Assessment Strathmore Park

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 that their Strathmore Park 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 must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate both 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 on a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Strathmore Park, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Strathmore Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance 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 Draught-stopping on Strathmore Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Strathmore Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Strathmore Park

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

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Strathmore Park

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Strathmore Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the household to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Strathmore Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Strathmore Park

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Strathmore Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Strathmore Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.