Healthy Homes Assessment Fernhill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Fernhill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Fernhill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Fernhill, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Fernhill rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Fernhill rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Fernhill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fernhill

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Fernhill

Fernhill rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Fernhill

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Fernhill

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the household to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Fernhill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Fernhill

The areas of rental property that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Fernhill include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fernhill for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.