Healthy Homes Assessment Poukawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the 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 rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Poukawa, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Poukawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance 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 Poukawa rental properties.

Begin now by calling 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 lower temperatures in homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Poukawa

Rental properties in Poukawa need to have a stable source of heat that can warm 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 suggested 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 minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it may require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Poukawa

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Poukawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to the household to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

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

Poukawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part 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 your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Poukawa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Poukawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Poukawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences 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 managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.