Healthy Homes Assessment Frimley

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? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Frimley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Frimley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Frimley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Frimley, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Frimley rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Frimley rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Frimley Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Frimley

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A damp house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Frimley

Rental properties in Frimley need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Frimley

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Frimley

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making an easier task to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Frimley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing 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 Frimley

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Frimley include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Frimley for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, 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 a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.