Healthy Homes Assessment Kelburn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Kelburn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements 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 meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kelburn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Kelburn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Kelburn, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Kelburn rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Kelburn rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelburn

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Kelburn

Kelburn rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to have a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kelburn

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Kelburn

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes it easier to allow the home to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

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

• 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 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.

Kelburn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kelburn

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Kelburn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelburn for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.