Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Grenada Village rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals 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 to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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 work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty 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 listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Grenada Village rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Grenada Village rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Grenada Village Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Grenada Village

Grenada Village rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Grenada Village

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air will be more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Grenada Village

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater 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 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

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

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Grenada Village

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

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

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.