Healthy Homes Assessment Kenepuru

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Kenepuru rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Kenepuru, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Kenepuru rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Kenepuru rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Kenepuru Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kenepuru

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kenepuru

Kenepuru rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kenepuru

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air will be easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Kenepuru

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task for the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand 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 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 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kenepuru Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kenepuru

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Kenepuru include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kenepuru for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.