Healthy Homes Assessment Kingsley-Chatham

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Kingsley-Chatham rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects 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 meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

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

Call Now 0800 232 113

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Kingsley-Chatham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Kingsley-Chatham rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Kingsley-Chatham, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Kingsley-Chatham rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Kingsley-Chatham rental properties.

Start now and call about the Kingsley-Chatham Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kingsley-Chatham

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could 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 entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

There is no need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kingsley-Chatham

Rental properties in Kingsley-Chatham require a reliable heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kingsley-Chatham

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Kingsley-Chatham

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kingsley-Chatham Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kingsley-Chatham

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Kingsley-Chatham include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kingsley-Chatham for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.