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 ensure 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 rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with 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 up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully 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 tenancy is signed for a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed 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 the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Haywards, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Haywards rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Haywards rental properties.

Get started now and contact us 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 houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Haywards

Rental properties in Haywards should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to have a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Haywards

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Haywards

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete 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 with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house assessment.