Healthy Homes Assessment Lochain

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Lochain rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for 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 to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

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

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Lochain rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Lochain rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Lochain, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Lochain rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Lochain rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Lochain Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Draught Stopping Lochain

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out into the home need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Heating Lochain

Lochain rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended 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), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should include an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it may require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Lochain

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

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

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

Insulation Lochain

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

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

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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Lochain Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Rental Property Home Assessments Lochain

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Lochain include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Home Assessments Lochain for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for in the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.