Healthy Homes Assessment Kelburn

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 now have to ensure their Kelburn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified 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 and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re 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

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kelburn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Kelburn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Kelburn, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kelburn rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Kelburn rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Kelburn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kelburn

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Kelburn

Kelburn rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. 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 requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kelburn

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kelburn

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make much easier for the home to hold warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kelburn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps 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

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Kelburn include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kelburn for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.