Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Hongoeka rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control within Hongoeka rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within your house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka require a reliable heating source which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Hongoeka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.