Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $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 and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment done for your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 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 are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Haywards rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means 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 Draught Control on Haywards rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Haywards

Rental properties in Haywards need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must have a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it may need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Haywards

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Haywards

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to allow the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure 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 is usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full 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 through the Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.