Healthy Homes Assessment Wainuiomata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Wainuiomata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Wainuiomata, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

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

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Wainuiomata rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Wainuiomata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wainuiomata

Wainuiomata rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need 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 suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air is easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Wainuiomata

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

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

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

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wainuiomata

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Wainuiomata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are many things to check when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

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