Healthy Homes Assessment Birchville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Birchville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Birchville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, 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 accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is important to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet 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 an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Birchville rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Birchville rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Birchville Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Birchville

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A humid house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the house heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Birchville

Rental properties in Birchville need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Birchville

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Birchville

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Birchville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Birchville

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Birchville include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Birchville for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.