Healthy Homes Assessment Pinehaven

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Pinehaven rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects 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. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed 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 landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as 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, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Pinehaven rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Pinehaven rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Pinehaven Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut off. 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 off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Pinehaven

Pinehaven rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pinehaven

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Pinehaven

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make much easier to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Pinehaven Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor 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 Pinehaven

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Pinehaven include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.