Healthy Homes Assessment Fernhill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Fernhill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks 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 fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

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

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Fernhill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Fernhill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Fernhill, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Fernhill rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Fernhill rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fernhill

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Fernhill

Fernhill rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it might just need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Fernhill

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Fernhill

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy for the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Fernhill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent 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 Fernhill

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Fernhill include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fernhill for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.