Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under 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 relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Hongoeka rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in 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 are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Hongoeka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy for the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.