Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that 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 rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by 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 requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to evaluate 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and request a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Grenada Village rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Grenada Village rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Grenada Village

Rental properties in Grenada Village need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might need an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Grenada Village

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Grenada Village

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and it will make much easier for the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs 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 insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Grenada Village include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough 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 in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.