Healthy Homes Assessment Strathmore Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure 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 are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified to assess both 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Strathmore Park, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Strathmore Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Strathmore Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Strathmore Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Strathmore Park

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can 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 are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Strathmore Park

Rental properties in Strathmore Park must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Strathmore Park

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Strathmore Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Strathmore Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Strathmore Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Strathmore Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Strathmore Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home evaluation.