Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be done, and provide the report with all the information required 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 under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified for each of 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting 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 correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Haywards, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

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

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Haywards rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Haywards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Haywards

Haywards rental properties must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 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 as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as 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 be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Haywards

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to 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 for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Haywards

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Haywards

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.