Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Grenada Village rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be done, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified for both 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request a home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Grenada Village rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Grenada Village rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Grenada Village

Grenada Village rental properties need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Grenada Village

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Grenada Village

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task to the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Grenada Village include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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