Healthy Homes Assessment Johnsonville

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Johnsonville rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under 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 healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Johnsonville rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Johnsonville, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Johnsonville rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Johnsonville

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of the home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Johnsonville

Rental properties in Johnsonville require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to include an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Johnsonville

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Johnsonville

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Johnsonville Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Johnsonville

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Johnsonville include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Johnsonville for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.