Healthy Homes Assessment Fernhill

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 must ensure that their Fernhill rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found 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 fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Fernhill rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and request a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Fernhill, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Fernhill rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Fernhill rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Fernhill

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Fernhill

Fernhill rental properties must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Fernhill

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Fernhill

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Fernhill Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect 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 the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Fernhill

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Fernhill include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Fernhill for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.