Healthy Homes Assessment Crofton Downs

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Crofton Downs rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Crofton Downs rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Crofton Downs, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Crofton Downs rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Crofton Downs rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Crofton Downs

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Crofton Downs

Rental properties in Crofton Downs require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Crofton Downs

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Crofton Downs

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task to the home to keep heat.

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

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Crofton Downs Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Crofton Downs

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Crofton Downs include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Crofton Downs for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.