Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley-Chatham

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Kingsley-Chatham rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley-Chatham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Kingsley-Chatham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Kingsley-Chatham, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Kingsley-Chatham rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Kingsley-Chatham rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Kingsley-Chatham Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley-Chatham

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Kingsley-Chatham

Rental properties in Kingsley-Chatham must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

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

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kingsley-Chatham

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air will be much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Kingsley-Chatham

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to allow the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley-Chatham Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into 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 standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley-Chatham

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley-Chatham include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley-Chatham for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.