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 must 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 that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified 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 brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised 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 are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six 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 comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research has shown that these rental homes tend 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 associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the standard of Grenada Village rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Grenada Village rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

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

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Grenada Village

Rental properties in Grenada Village must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it might require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Grenada Village

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising how dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Grenada Village

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to allow the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The 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 through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Grenada Village include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Grenada Village for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.