Healthy Homes Assessment Putorino

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 must ensure their Putorino rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must 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 can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine 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 any work that needs to be completed, and provide a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Putorino rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Putorino rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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 from New Zealand and Putorino, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Putorino rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping on Putorino rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Putorino

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no 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 movement of the building when the house heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine every window and door during the 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 well-being houses

Heating Putorino

Putorino rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might just need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Putorino

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Putorino

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to the household to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor 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 quality.

Putorino Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. 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 Putorino

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Putorino include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Putorino for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.