Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley-Chatham

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Kingsley-Chatham rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements 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 comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to evaluate both 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kingsley-Chatham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Kingsley-Chatham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or 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.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment 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 So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Kingsley-Chatham, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kingsley-Chatham rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Kingsley-Chatham rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Kingsley-Chatham Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley-Chatham

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A cold home costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the building. 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 shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Kingsley-Chatham

Rental properties in Kingsley-Chatham must have a fixed heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it might just require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Kingsley-Chatham

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kingsley-Chatham

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley-Chatham Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also 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 is enclosed between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full 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 through the Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley-Chatham include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley-Chatham for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.