Healthy Homes Assessment Strathmore Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Strathmore Park 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 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation 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 supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Strathmore Park, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Strathmore Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control within Strathmore Park rental properties.

Start now and call about the Strathmore Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Strathmore Park

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the building when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being houses

Heating Strathmore Park

Rental properties in Strathmore Park should have a permanent heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Strathmore Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Strathmore Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Strathmore Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Strathmore Park

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Strathmore Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Strathmore Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.