Healthy Homes Assessment Roseneath

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Roseneath rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as 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

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Roseneath rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Roseneath rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading 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 leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Roseneath, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Roseneath rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Roseneath rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Roseneath Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Roseneath

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Roseneath

Roseneath rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to 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 suggested 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 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it may need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Roseneath

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside and remain closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Roseneath

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Roseneath Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Roseneath

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Roseneath include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Roseneath for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.