Healthy Homes Assessment Papakowhai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Papakowhai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Papakowhai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Papakowhai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

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 throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage several rental properties can 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 receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request an house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Papakowhai, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Papakowhai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Papakowhai rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Papakowhai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Papakowhai

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Papakowhai

Rental properties in Papakowhai should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, 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 wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Papakowhai

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Papakowhai

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy for the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Papakowhai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Papakowhai

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Papakowhai include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Papakowhai for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.