Healthy Homes Assessment Vogeltown

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Vogeltown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Vogeltown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Vogeltown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Vogeltown, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Vogeltown rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Vogeltown rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Vogeltown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Vogeltown

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Vogeltown

Rental properties in Vogeltown need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Vogeltown

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Vogeltown

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the home to retain 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 more R-value is higher, the more efficient 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Vogeltown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. 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 standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Vogeltown

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Vogeltown include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Vogeltown for Rental Properties

There are many things to check when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.