Healthy Homes Assessment Waterloo

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Waterloo 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 certified by 1 July 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 standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate each of 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Waterloo rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Waterloo rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details 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 can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Waterloo, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Waterloo rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. 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 requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Waterloo rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waterloo

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A damp house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Waterloo

Waterloo rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, 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 and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Waterloo

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

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

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Waterloo

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• 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 standard.

Waterloo Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waterloo

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Waterloo include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waterloo for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting a home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.