Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

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 ensure that their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Plimmerton rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Plimmerton rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out of the home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Plimmerton

Rental properties in Plimmerton must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested 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 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dried air can be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Plimmerton

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the home to retain the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Plimmerton include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property house evaluation.