Healthy Homes Assessment Hastings Central

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Hastings Central rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies 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. needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’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 landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Hastings Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Hastings Central, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Hastings Central rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Hastings Central rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Hastings Central Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hastings Central

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Hastings Central

Rental properties in Hastings Central should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hastings Central

Every living space in a rental home must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Hastings Central

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hastings Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hastings Central

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Hastings Central include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hastings Central for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property home evaluation.