Healthy Homes Assessment Ngaio

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Ngaio rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by 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 standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Ngaio, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Ngaio rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Ngaio rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Ngaio Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngaio

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Ngaio

Rental properties in Ngaio should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space 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 well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ngaio

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

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Ngaio

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Ngaio Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ngaio

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Ngaio include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngaio for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today and book your rental property house evaluation.