Healthy Homes Assessment Crofton Downs

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Crofton Downs rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can 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 of any work which needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Crofton Downs, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Crofton Downs rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Crofton Downs rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Crofton Downs

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Crofton Downs

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

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Crofton Downs

Each living space within a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Crofton Downs

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the house to retain the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

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

Crofton Downs Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Crofton Downs

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Crofton Downs include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Crofton Downs for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.