Healthy Homes Assessment Clive

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Clive rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must 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 determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $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 the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Clive, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Clive rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Clive rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Clive Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clive

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Clive

Rental properties in Clive must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clive

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside while remaining 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 home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Clive

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to allow the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the 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 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clive Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clive

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Clive include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clive for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home evaluation.