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 must make sure their Clive rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

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

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Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Clive rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished 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 finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage 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 more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

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

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the quality of Clive rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control on Clive rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Clive Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clive

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the household warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Clive

Rental properties in Clive should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clive

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Clive

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the house to keep heat.

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

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Clive Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is often not apparent that it can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clive

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Clive include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clive for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home evaluation.