Healthy Homes Assessment Frasertown

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 are now required to ensure that their Frasertown rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Frasertown rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Frasertown, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Frasertown rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Frasertown rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Frasertown Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Frasertown

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Frasertown

Frasertown rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it could need an update to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Frasertown

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Frasertown

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier for the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Frasertown Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but you must ensure 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’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Frasertown

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Frasertown for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house evaluation.