Healthy Homes Assessment St Leonards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their St Leonards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to evaluate 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 or renewed tenancy is signed for a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and St Leonards, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of St Leonards rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within St Leonards rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping St Leonards

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating St Leonards

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

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation St Leonards

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation St Leonards

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier for the house to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

St Leonards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments St Leonards

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in St Leonards include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments St Leonards for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.