Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being 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 information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report four or more major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Hongoeka rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Hongoeka rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Hongoeka

Hongoeka rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside and remain closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Hongoeka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes more easy for the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.