Healthy Homes Assessment Waitangirua

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 now have to make sure their Waitangirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done and offer the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Waitangirua, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Waitangirua rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for 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 draughty home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Waitangirua

Waitangirua rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the 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 airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Waitangirua

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

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

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waitangirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. 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

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Waitangirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waitangirua for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.