Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

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? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Haywards, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Haywards rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Haywards rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Haywards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could 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 a clear draught from a crack or a gap, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Haywards

Rental properties in Haywards must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Haywards

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Haywards

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier for the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and 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.

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Haywards

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.