Healthy Homes Assessment Waiohiki

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 make sure their Waiohiki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must 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 assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed and provide the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified for both 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Waiohiki, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Waiohiki rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in 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, as well Draught Control on Waiohiki rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Waiohiki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiohiki

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Waiohiki

Rental properties in Waiohiki require a reliable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waiohiki

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be much 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 areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Waiohiki

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes it easier to allow the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waiohiki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waiohiki

Property rental areas that are affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Waiohiki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiohiki for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions 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 the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.