Healthy Homes Assessment Clive

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Clive rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 856 525

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to note that landlords with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Clive, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Clive rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Clive rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Clive Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clive

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Clive

Clive rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clive

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Clive

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task for the house to hold warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clive Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clive

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Clive include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clive for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.