Healthy Homes Assessment Flaxmere

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Flaxmere rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified for 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Flaxmere rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Flaxmere rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Flaxmere, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Flaxmere rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Flaxmere rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Flaxmere

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Flaxmere

Flaxmere rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on 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 needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Flaxmere

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Flaxmere

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make much easier for the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Flaxmere Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Flaxmere

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standards in Flaxmere include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Flaxmere for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.