Healthy Homes Assessment Wallaceville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Wallaceville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be done and provide the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Wallaceville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Wallaceville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable 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.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

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

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Wallaceville rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Wallaceville rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Wallaceville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wallaceville

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Wallaceville

Wallaceville rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 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 well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wallaceville

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Wallaceville

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

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

Wallaceville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wallaceville

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Wallaceville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wallaceville for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in a home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation 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 home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house evaluation.