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Mould is a fungus that can usually be found in damp, dark or steamy areas, recently flooded areas or in places with poor ventilation.
Aside from its unpleasant appearance, mould in large quantities presents a health hazard to humans, potentially causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
We perform both mould testing & mould removal – eliminating hazardous mould spores and mould growth from buildings, homes and personal possessions.
Our objective is to ensure no presence of mould (either airborne or visible) exists once we complete the mould remediation process.
In December 2017, the Government passed the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act 2017. This Act amends the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 and enables standards to be made to make rental homes warmer and drier. The standards have now been finalised and drafted in the Residential Tenancies (Healthy Homes Standards) Regulations 2019.
The healthy homes standards aim to make a significant change to the quality of New Zealand rental homes and are designed to support the government’s goal of tenants being able to rent a warm, dry and healthy home. The standards cover improvements to heating, insulation, and ventilation, and addressing issues with moisture ingress and drainage and draught stopping.
Ensuring everyone has a warm dry rental home is a priority to improving the wellbeing of New Zealanders and their families. Nearly 600,000 households rent in New Zealand and research tells us that NZ’s rental housing is of poorer quality than owner-occupied homes. While many landlords maintain and upgrade their properties, there are some who do not, leaving tenants living in cold, damp homes.
The healthy homes standards will make it easier for renters to achieve warmer, drier homes, helping to reduce mould and damp and the potential for associated health conditions. They will also provide a clear set of minimum standards all landlords will need to provide their tenants.
The ventilation and moisture ingress and drainage standards in particular are designed to help prevent dampness which has negative health outcomes for tenants. These standards should also help prevent the growth of mould and improve the moisture management system and air circulation in a home.
By 1 July 2021, Private landlords must ensure their rental properties comply with the healthy homes standards within 90 days of any new, or renewed tenancy and all boarding houses (except Kāinga Ora and Community Housing Provider boarding house tenancies). All tenancies must meet the standard by 1 July 2024. The cost to landlords will vary and depend on a property’s characteristics (for example, size, age, condition), and the amount of work required to bring each property up to the minimum requirements.
Regardless of whether any work is done, a landlord will have to keep records of how they are complying with the healthy homes standards. These records must be able to be provided to the Tenancy Tribunal or the Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team. Landlords will also need to include compliance information in their tenancy agreement.
From 1 December 2020 landlords will need to include information on each of the standards in any new or renewed tenancy agreement even if they are not yet required to comply with the standards.
Once implemented, the healthy homes standards will mean that landlords may need to do less maintenance to their houses as they will be less prone to moisture damage and the damage caused by mould growth.
Mould is strongly linked to poor health outcomes, such as respiratory illnesses and worsening asthma. Mould also damages walls, ceilings, and floors, and can damage a tenant’s possessions.
The presence of dampness and mould is a particular problem in areas where there tends to be high moisture activities, such as showering or cooking. A study by BRANZ shows New Zealand rental homes have visible mould at greater levels than owner occupied homes, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens.
