Healthy Homes Assessment Fernhill

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Fernhill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of 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 $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified for 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Fernhill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Fernhill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Fernhill, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Fernhill rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning 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, and Draught stopping for Fernhill rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Fernhill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fernhill

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Fernhill

Rental properties in Fernhill must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Fernhill

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Fernhill

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Fernhill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. 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 Fernhill

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Fernhill include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fernhill for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• 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 being in the wrong of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.