Healthy Homes Assessment Roys Hill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Roys Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Roys Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Roys Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of 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 the property in New Zealand and Roys Hill, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Roys Hill rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Roys Hill rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Roys Hill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Roys Hill

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Roys Hill

Roys Hill rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main 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 health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it could need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Roys Hill

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Roys Hill

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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 more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Roys Hill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Roys Hill

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Roys Hill include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Roys Hill for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.