Healthy Homes Assessment Bluff Hill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Bluff Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Bluff Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Bluff Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Bluff Hill, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Bluff Hill rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower 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, and Draught stopping in Bluff Hill rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Bluff Hill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Bluff Hill

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Bluff Hill

Rental properties in Bluff Hill should have a permanent heating source that can heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, then it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it may require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Bluff Hill

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that dried air can be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Bluff Hill

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to allow the house to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Bluff Hill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists 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 Bluff Hill

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Bluff Hill include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Bluff Hill for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine in a home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property house assessment.