Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Kaiwharawhara rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end 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 incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Kaiwharawhara rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for 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 Draught-stopping in Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Kaiwharawhara Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Kaiwharawhara rental properties need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.