Healthy Homes Assessment Brooklyn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Brooklyn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be done and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Brooklyn rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Brooklyn rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a crack or a gap, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Brooklyn

Brooklyn rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brooklyn

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising how dry air will be easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

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

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Brooklyn

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to the house to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brooklyn

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Brooklyn include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.