Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 will assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Birchville, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Birchville rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping in Birchville rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

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, then it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the home warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Birchville

Birchville rental properties require a reliable heating source that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Birchville

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Birchville

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to allow the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

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

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.