Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Kaiwharawhara rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in 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 any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Kaiwharawhara rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Rental properties in Kaiwharawhara need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. 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" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Each living space within a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes it easier for the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater 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 remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kaiwharawhara include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties house assessment.