Healthy Homes Assessment Bluff Hill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Bluff Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now 0800 232 113

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Bluff Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Bluff Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request an house inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Bluff Hill, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the quality of Bluff Hill rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Bluff Hill rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Bluff Hill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Bluff Hill

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Bluff Hill

Bluff Hill rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Bluff Hill

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Bluff Hill

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes it easier to the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• 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, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Bluff Hill 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 rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists 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 Bluff Hill

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Bluff Hill include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Bluff Hill for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house assessment.