Healthy Homes Assessment Strathmore Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Strathmore Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Strathmore Park, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Strathmore Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs 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, as well as Draught stopping for Strathmore Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Strathmore Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Strathmore Park

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Strathmore Park

Strathmore Park rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Strathmore Park

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Strathmore Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Strathmore Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground 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 building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete 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 The Healthy Homes Standards in Strathmore Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Strathmore Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.