Healthy Homes Assessment Strathmore Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Strathmore Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate 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 tenancy is signed for a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Strathmore Park, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Strathmore Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for 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 as Draught stopping for Strathmore Park rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Strathmore Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Strathmore Park

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Strathmore Park

Rental properties in Strathmore Park should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the 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 source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Strathmore Park

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Strathmore Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to allow the household to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Strathmore Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Strathmore Park

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards 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 numerous things you should look for when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property home assessment.