Healthy Homes Assessment Clive

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Clive rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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 associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet 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 is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Clive, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Clive rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Clive rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Clive Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clive

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes 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 an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into your home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Clive

Rental properties in Clive require a reliable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clive

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Clive

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to allow the home to retain warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Clive Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clive

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Clive include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clive for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.