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 of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Pinehaven rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or 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, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Pinehaven rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Pinehaven rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A humid house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the house warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pinehaven

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

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pinehaven

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Pinehaven

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Pinehaven Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your 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 Pinehaven

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.