Healthy Homes Assessment Epuni

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 must ensure their Epuni rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be done and provide a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Epuni rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out, so 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 at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Epuni, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the standard of Epuni rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance 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 stopping on Epuni rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Epuni Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Epuni

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Epuni

Epuni rental properties require a reliable source of heat that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Epuni

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air is less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow 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 don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Epuni

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Epuni Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. 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 Epuni

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Epuni for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.