Healthy Homes Assessment Clive

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified 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 Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Clive, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Clive rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment will be secured 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 list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Clive rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Clive Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clive

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Clive

Clive rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it needs to include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clive

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Clive

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make it easier for the home to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists 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 – the rest of the 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 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clive Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clive

Rental property areas affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Clive include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clive for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine during a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.