Healthy Homes Assessment Vogeltown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Vogeltown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’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 following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and 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

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Vogeltown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation 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 landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Vogeltown, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Vogeltown rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Vogeltown rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Vogeltown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Vogeltown

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Vogeltown

Rental properties in Vogeltown must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Vogeltown

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Vogeltown

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part 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 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Vogeltown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Vogeltown

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Vogeltown include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Vogeltown for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have 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 with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home evaluation.