Healthy Homes Assessment Crofton Downs

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Crofton Downs rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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 $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Crofton Downs, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Crofton Downs rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Crofton Downs rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Crofton Downs Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Crofton Downs

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Crofton Downs

Crofton Downs rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Crofton Downs

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside and remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Crofton Downs

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Crofton Downs Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Crofton Downs

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Crofton Downs include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Crofton Downs for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home evaluation.