Healthy Homes Assessment Grenada Village

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Grenada Village rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Grenada Village rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Grenada Village, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Grenada Village rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Grenada Village rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Grenada Village

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Grenada Village

Rental properties in Grenada Village must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it could need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Grenada Village

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Grenada Village

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher 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 remainder 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Grenada Village Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 with the Healthy Homes Standard 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 a variety of things to be able to examine in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.