Healthy Homes Assessment St Leonards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their St Leonards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be done, and provide a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties we 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and St Leonards, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving 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 diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in St Leonards rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a St Leonards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping St Leonards

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating St Leonards

Rental properties in St Leonards need to have a stable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it may need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation St Leonards

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

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

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation St Leonards

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to allow the home to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

St Leonards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments St Leonards

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in St Leonards include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments St Leonards for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if 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 moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.