Healthy Homes Assessment St Leonards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their St Leonards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be done and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and St Leonards, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of St Leonards rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on St Leonards rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a St Leonards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping St Leonards

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating St Leonards

Rental properties in St Leonards should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation St Leonards

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation St Leonards

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier for the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

St Leonards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments St Leonards

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in St Leonards include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments St Leonards for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting the house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.