Healthy Homes Assessment Roys Hill

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 are now required to ensure that their Roys Hill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully 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 assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Roys Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Roys Hill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Roys Hill, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Roys Hill rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping on Roys Hill rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Roys Hill Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Roys Hill

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of the home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Roys Hill

Rental properties in Roys Hill need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18degC, 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 health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might just require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Roys Hill

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Roys Hill

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier for the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Roys Hill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Roys Hill

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Roys Hill include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Roys Hill for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.