Healthy Homes Assessment St Leonards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their St Leonards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties 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 evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified to assess 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of 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 isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

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

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and St Leonards, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of St Leonards rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for St Leonards rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the St Leonards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping St Leonards

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building as the home is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating St Leonards

Rental properties in St Leonards must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to have the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation St Leonards

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation St Leonards

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier for the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

St Leonards 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 make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments St Leonards

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in St Leonards include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments St Leonards for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.