Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully 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 to check 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 tasks which needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to be aware that landlords who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request an house assessment done for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Haywards, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Haywards rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Haywards rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Haywards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps 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 which needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Haywards

Haywards rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, 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 health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it might need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Haywards

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Haywards

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes an easier task to the house to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Haywards

Property rental areas that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Haywards include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.