Audit.

08/07/2019

Mould, Houses and Occupants.

This is a short version of an article posted in the NEWS section in our website.

Building inspectors are often alerted to hidden leaks not only by dampness or staining, but also through excessive mould growth in an area.

However, in most circumstances mould growth in New Zealand homes is due to house construction and occupant behaviour.

Most mould found on surfaces in NZ homes is of a common type such as Cladosporium, and although is black-looking, it is often not the infamous Stachybotrys chartarum – known as toxic black mould – which tends most often to form in cavities with more specific environmental constraints.

Any visible mould found should be removed immediately, and the cause assessed to provide good air-quality and decrease damage to surfaces. General preparedness and maintenance is as important as occupant intervention in mould reduction, below are some obvious steps to take

1. Preparedness
a. Adequate Insulation and vapour barriers where needed
b. Mechanical ventilation in bathrooms and kitchens
c. Install a shower dome
d. Windows which can be opened to ventilate in all rooms
e. Deal with water leaks straight away

2. Occupant intervention
a. Dry condensation off windows in mornings with a towel
b. Open doors and windows for at least 15 – 20 minutes even on cold days
c. Ventilate room (open window or leave extractor running) after using shower/bath
d. If possible, keep indoor temperatures at or above 18°C.

04/04/2019

It's been a while since our last post, and with the recently announced Healthy Homes Standards (HHS), its a good time to recap what Landlords (and future Landlords) need to be aware of, particularly when looking to purchase with the intent of letting.

In this post we will focus on the possible non-compliance of houses that do comply with the current Insulation standard.

Firstly, all Landlords should now have;
1. Assessed - presence and condition of insulation in the walls and ceilings
2. Acted - installed or topped up insulation
3. Agreed - all new tenancy agreements must include a seperate insulation statement
The deadline for compliance on insulation is 1 July 2019.

The deadline(s) for compliance with the HHS is
1 July 2021 - within 90 days of any new tennancy and,
1 July 2024 for ALL rental properties.

The areas covered in the new standard are;
1. Heating
2. Insulation
3. Ventilation
4. Moisture and Drainage
5. Draught Stopping

The point of interest here, with respect to the new insulation standards within the HHS, is that there may be some houses which currently comply (2019 deadline), that will not in the future (2021/2024 deadline)

Essentially the HHS brings the insulation standard to meet the 2008 Building Code, whereas currently, provided that insulation was in good condition and 70mm thick Landlords have not had to act.

In summary , from 1 July 2021 rental properties insulation will need to either meet the 2008 Building Code, or be at least 120mm thick.

For more info visit -
https://www.hud.govt.nz/residential-housing/healthy-rental-homes/healthy-homes-standards/

09/10/2018

M**hamphetamine Testing Industry Update

Many have been watching with interest the outcome of the report on 'M**hamphetamine contamination in residential properties' by the former Chief Science Advisor Peter Gluckman.

It appears the pendulum may have swung too far in the minds of some residential landlords, with some now opting to not even bother testing at all between tenancies.

The official limit is still 1.5µg, however a recent tenancy tribunal hearing has seen the adjudicator opted for the ‘Gluckman’ 15µg limit in their ruling. We will follow up with a post on this in due course

And finally training organisations are now offering NZQA courses off the back of the recently released Unit Standards devised by NZQA for the m**h industry – which cover general knowledge units as well as the expected sampling and decontamination qualifications.

If yourself or someone you know needs help in this area, please visit m**hhelp.co.nz or call Drug line on 0800 787 797

27/09/2018

Did we just say 'FREE'? Yes, you read the last post correctly! Audit now includes a free Asbestos Register as part of any Builders Report we offer.

Whether your buying for your family, or as a rental investment, having a clear indication if/where asbestos may be present is vital to understanding your on-going maintenance costs, and most importantly, any health risk your family or tenants may be exposed to.
Of-course the added benifit of in-house M**h (P) sampling means that you can ensure your not buying a crime scene with all its associated nasties.

One call to cover all your bases, can it get any easier?

Oh, and don't forget our promotion which runs through until the 31-12-18

Visit our site to view all the details by the link in right column or go to auditinspections.co.nz

24/09/2018

Well, if you caught the recent interview on the AM show in regard to asbestos in your home, sorry. Not the most informative 4 minutes of any ones life. Inspections don't have to cost thousands, particularly in one small room.
Not only are our prices competitive, we offer FREE Asbestos Registers in all of our house Inspection Reports. Visit us at auditinspections.co.nz to get all the details.

30/08/2018

Hi all, we're about to start heading into warmer weather, and with house sales bound to pick-up we have brewed up a great promotion to save you money.

For any booking with a value over $295, simply get five of your friends to like our FB page and recieve $50 off the price.

The promotion will run from 01-09-18 until 31-12-18. Ts & Cs apply which can be found on our website. (from 01-09-18)

Visit https://auditinspections.co.nz/ for all the details and loads of information about the services we offer

Click book now to send a request or call us on 0800 228 348. Our friendly staff will promptly confirm your order and arrange a convenient time for your inspection.

30/07/2018

As with all new regulations, language and interpretation are challanged in the period proceeding their enforcement. WorkSafe recently issued a Policy Clarification for Landlords that we believe just complicates the matter.

Link to the News article below and read our feedack to WorkSafe, you'll also be able to read the Policy Clarification for yourself.

The question - Should a residential landlord have to formally document the location and extent of Asbestos Containing Materials in their houses?

WorkSafe recently released A Policy Clarification for Landlords in regard to the 2016 Asbestos Regulations Read below for a link to the article and a rundown on why we think the advice is flawed...

07/06/2018

Welcome! Thank you for visiting. Please like our page and follow us for regular updates covering a variety of legislative, technical and general interest topics relating to one of the three services we offer.
Property.
M**h.
Asbestos.
The Holy trinity of residential inspections does exist, and you've found us!

The recent anouncement by the Prime Ministers Chief Science Advisor via the report published 29 May 2018, has created a heightened awareness towards the subject of M**hamphetamine contamination, more specifically, the acceptable contamination concentration level at which owner responsibilities to remediate are triggred, and, the impact on real life people from, apparently, an industry gone wild.

Here at Audit we believe in analysing the facts to form an educated opinion, or, have your opinion shaped by the peaks and troughs in the waves of media noise...

Visit auditinspections/news.co.nz and read our post on the report, an analysis and a statement on our position.