Healthy Homes Assessment Mount Cook

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Mount Cook 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 completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to assess 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Mount Cook rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person 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 Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Mount Cook, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Mount Cook rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Mount Cook rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Mount Cook Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mount Cook

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A damp house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Mount Cook

Mount Cook rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Mount Cook

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Mount Cook

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy for the home to retain heat.

Insulation needs 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 insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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

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

Mount Cook Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mount Cook

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Mount Cook include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mount Cook for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.