Healthy Homes Assessment Epuni

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Epuni rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

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

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Epuni rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Epuni rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Epuni, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Epuni rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Epuni rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Epuni

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Epuni

Rental properties in Epuni should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Epuni

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Epuni

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task for the household to retain the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Epuni Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Epuni

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Epuni for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.