Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

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

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess 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 for a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Hongoeka rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Hongoeka rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka should have a permanent heating source that can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore 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 in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Hongoeka

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps 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

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. 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 when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.