Healthy Homes Assessment Eskdale

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Eskdale rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely 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 your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Eskdale rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Eskdale 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 inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Eskdale, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Eskdale rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Eskdale rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Eskdale

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the household heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Eskdale

Eskdale rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Eskdale

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Eskdale

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to the house to hold warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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

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

Eskdale Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Eskdale

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Eskdale include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Eskdale for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.