Healthy Homes Assessment Poukawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Poukawa 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 by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 856 525

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 for a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

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

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Poukawa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Poukawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Poukawa

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

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Poukawa

Poukawa rental properties need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it needs to include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Poukawa

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Poukawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier for the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Poukawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Poukawa

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Poukawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Poukawa for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.