Healthy Homes Assessment Linden

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Linden rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties 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 evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks which needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified for both 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Linden rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Linden rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Linden

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Linden

Linden rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 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 health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need 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 acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Linden

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Linden

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Linden Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Linden

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Linden include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Linden for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.