Healthy Homes Assessment Brooklyn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Brooklyn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now 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 matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Brooklyn rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Brooklyn rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Brooklyn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A cold house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Brooklyn

Brooklyn rental properties must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, 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 to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Brooklyn

Each living space within a rental home must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Brooklyn

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task for the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brooklyn

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Brooklyn include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting the home 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 moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.