Healthy Homes Assessment Waitangirua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Waitangirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to evaluate both 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, 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 building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Waitangirua, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Waitangirua rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control within Waitangirua rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Waitangirua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waitangirua

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Waitangirua

Waitangirua rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it needs to have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waitangirua

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air is less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Waitangirua

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task to the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waitangirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waitangirua

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Waitangirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waitangirua for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in an house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.