Healthy Homes Assessment Greenmeadows

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Greenmeadows rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Greenmeadows rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Greenmeadows, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Greenmeadows rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Draught Stopping Greenmeadows

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

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

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Heating Greenmeadows

Greenmeadows rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it may require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Greenmeadows

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

Insulation Greenmeadows

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

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

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Greenmeadows Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Rental Property Home Assessments Greenmeadows

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Greenmeadows include each:

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

Home Assessments Greenmeadows for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.