Healthy Homes Assessment Roys Hill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Roys Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must 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 will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Roys Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and 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 huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Roys Hill, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Roys Hill rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in 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 Draught stopping on Roys Hill rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Roys Hill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Roys Hill

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of your home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block off 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 heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Roys Hill

Rental properties in Roys Hill need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Roys Hill

Each living space within a rental house must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Roys Hill

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Roys Hill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent any damage to your 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 Roys Hill

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Roys Hill include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Roys Hill for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.