Healthy Homes Assessment Trentham

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Trentham rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required 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 any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to evaluate 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Trentham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Trentham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, 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 agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Trentham, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Trentham rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping in Trentham rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Trentham Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Trentham

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap that is, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Trentham

Rental properties in Trentham require a reliable heating source that can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Trentham

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Trentham

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Trentham Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your 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 Trentham

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Trentham include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Trentham for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check during the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.