Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request a home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Haywards, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Haywards rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Haywards rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Haywards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Haywards

Haywards rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. 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" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might just require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Haywards

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Haywards

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Haywards

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for during an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home assessment.