Healthy Homes Assessment Onekawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Onekawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in 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 meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed, and offer the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Onekawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Onekawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Onekawa, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Onekawa rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Onekawa rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Onekawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Onekawa

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Onekawa

Rental properties in Onekawa need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Onekawa

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air will be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able open to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Onekawa

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making it easier to the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Onekawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including 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 a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Onekawa

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Onekawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Onekawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.