Healthy Homes Assessment Whakatu

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 now have to make sure that their Whakatu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely qualified to evaluate 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Whakatu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Whakatu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result 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 request a house inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Whakatu, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Whakatu rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Whakatu rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Whakatu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Whakatu

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Whakatu

Whakatu rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Whakatu

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Whakatu

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

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

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Whakatu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Whakatu

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Whakatu include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Whakatu for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.