Healthy Homes Assessment Jervoistown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Jervoistown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely compliant 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely qualified to assess both 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Jervoistown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Jervoistown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Jervoistown, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Jervoistown rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Jervoistown rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Jervoistown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Jervoistown

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

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

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Jervoistown

Rental properties in Jervoistown should have a permanent heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Jervoistown

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Jervoistown

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task for the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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

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

Jervoistown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property 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 to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

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

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Jervoistown include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Jervoistown for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.