Healthy Homes Assessment Paremata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Paremata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 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 and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified to evaluate each of 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 for a Paremata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Paremata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Paremata, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the quality of Paremata rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Paremata rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Paremata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paremata

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Paremata

Paremata rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Paremata

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Paremata

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. 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 reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make it easier to allow the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of 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

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

Paremata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Paremata

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paremata for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.