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 are now required to make sure their Wallaceville 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Wallaceville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of 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 isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided 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 identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request an home assessment performed for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Wallaceville, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Wallaceville rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long run.

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 Wallaceville rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Wallaceville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wallaceville

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Wallaceville

Rental properties in Wallaceville require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wallaceville

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Wallaceville

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to allow the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Wallaceville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wallaceville

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standard in Wallaceville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wallaceville for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.