Healthy Homes Assessment Waitangirua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Waitangirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to assess both 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to be aware that landlords who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Waitangirua, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Waitangirua rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping on Waitangirua rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Waitangirua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waitangirua

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Waitangirua

Waitangirua rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on 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 outlook.

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

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waitangirua

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be more easy to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Waitangirua

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to allow the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

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

Waitangirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waitangirua

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Waitangirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waitangirua for Rental Properties

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

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.