Healthy Homes Assessment Havelock North Central

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Havelock North Central rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified 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 or renewed contract is signed on a Havelock North Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on the Havelock North Central rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Havelock North Central, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the standard of Havelock North Central rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Havelock North Central rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Havelock North Central Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Havelock North Central

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Havelock North Central

Rental properties in Havelock North Central should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might just require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Havelock North Central

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Havelock North Central

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Havelock North Central Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Havelock North Central

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Havelock North Central include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Havelock North Central for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.