Healthy Homes Assessment Strathmore Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Strathmore Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified for 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on the Strathmore Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Strathmore Park, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Strathmore Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Strathmore Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Strathmore Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Strathmore Park

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Strathmore Park

Rental properties in Strathmore Park require a reliable source of heating which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Strathmore Park

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Strathmore Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to the home to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Strathmore Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Strathmore Park

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Strathmore Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Strathmore Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.