Healthy Homes Assessment Lochain

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Lochain rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks which requirements to be done, and provide 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 violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to evaluate 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Lochain rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Lochain rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Lochain, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Lochain rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Lochain rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lochain

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Lochain

Rental properties in Lochain require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lochain

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Lochain

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the house to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Lochain Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lochain

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Lochain include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lochain for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.