Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Pipitea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Pipitea, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Pipitea rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control for Pipitea rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A cold house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. 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 crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Pipitea

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

A ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Pipitea

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, including 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 a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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 Pipitea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Pipitea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.