Healthy Homes Assessment Bluff Hill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Bluff Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Bluff Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Bluff Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Bluff Hill, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Bluff Hill rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Bluff Hill rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Bluff Hill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Bluff Hill

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Bluff Hill

Bluff Hill rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the 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 that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require 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 safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Bluff Hill

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside while remaining closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Bluff Hill

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Bluff Hill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Bluff Hill

Property rental areas that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Bluff Hill include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Bluff Hill for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.