Healthy Homes Assessment Waipukurau

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Waipukurau rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 856 525

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Waipukurau rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Waipukurau rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Waipukurau, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Waipukurau rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Waipukurau rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Waipukurau Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waipukurau

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waipukurau

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

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waipukurau

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air is easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Waipukurau

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make it easier to allow the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waipukurau Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Waipukurau

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Waipukurau include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waipukurau for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house evaluation.