Healthy Homes Assessment Linden

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Linden rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will 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 of the work required. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with 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 healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified for 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 Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Linden, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Linden rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Linden rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Linden

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Linden

Rental properties in Linden require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Linden

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Linden

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Linden Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Linden

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Linden include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Linden for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.