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 July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Brooklyn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Brooklyn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

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

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Brooklyn, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Brooklyn rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over 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 Brooklyn rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Brooklyn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Brooklyn

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Brooklyn

Brooklyn rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Brooklyn

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Brooklyn

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy for the home to hold heat.

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

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Brooklyn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Brooklyn

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Brooklyn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Brooklyn for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.