Healthy Homes Assessment Linden

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that 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 rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified to evaluate 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 or renewed contract is signed on a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Linden rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Linden, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Linden rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Linden rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Linden Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Linden

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Linden

Linden rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (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 could be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it might require an update to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Linden

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Linden

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to the home to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Linden Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Linden

Areas of rental properties that are impacted 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 concerns to look over in an house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.