Healthy Homes Assessment St Leonards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their St Leonards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully 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 evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be done, and offer a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the St Leonards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease 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 Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and St Leonards, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the quality of St Leonards rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on St Leonards rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a St Leonards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping St Leonards

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating St Leonards

St Leonards rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation St Leonards

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation St Leonards

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier for the household to retain warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher 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 and 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.

St Leonards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate 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.

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

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments St Leonards

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in St Leonards include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments St Leonards for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.