Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies 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 provide an evaluation report with all the information needed 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 in 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 $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 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 done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Grenada Village rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Grenada Village rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Grenada Village

Grenada Village rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should have a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Grenada Village

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Grenada Village

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and it will make more easy for the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Grenada Village include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.