Healthy Homes Assessment Horokiwi

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Horokiwi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate each of 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in 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 a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on 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 Horokiwi, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Horokiwi rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Horokiwi rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Horokiwi

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Horokiwi

Rental properties in Horokiwi should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, 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 outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, 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 determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, 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 not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Horokiwi

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Horokiwi

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to the household to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Horokiwi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Horokiwi

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Horokiwi for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.