Healthy Homes Assessment Lochain

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Lochain rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Lochain rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Lochain rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and 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 at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Lochain, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Lochain rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Lochain rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Lochain Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lochain

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Lochain

Rental properties in Lochain require a reliable source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to have an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Lochain

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of 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 therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Lochain

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task for the home to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Lochain Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed 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 in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent any damage to your 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 Lochain

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lochain for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home evaluation.