Healthy Homes Assessment Horokiwi

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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Horokiwi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Horokiwi, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Horokiwi rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Horokiwi rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Horokiwi Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Horokiwi

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Horokiwi

Horokiwi rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Horokiwi

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least to open to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Horokiwi

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to allow the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 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 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Horokiwi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Horokiwi

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Horokiwi include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Horokiwi for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.