Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must 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 evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Hongoeka rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of 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, as well as Draught Stopping on Hongoeka rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature 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), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Hongoeka

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the 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 through the Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house evaluation.