Healthy Homes Assessment Napier South

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 ensure that their Napier South rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Napier South rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Napier South rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Napier South, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Napier South rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in 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 as Draught Control on Napier South rental properties.

Start now and call about the Napier South Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Napier South

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Napier South

Rental properties in Napier South need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it may require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Napier South

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Napier South

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes more easy for the house to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

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

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

Napier South Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Napier South

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Napier South include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Napier South for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property house assessment.