Healthy Homes Assessment Heretaunga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Heretaunga rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified for 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 or renewed tenancy is signed for a Heretaunga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Heretaunga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to remember that landlords who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Heretaunga, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Heretaunga rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Heretaunga rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Heretaunga

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Heretaunga

Rental properties in Heretaunga need to have a stable heating source that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on 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 source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, 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 the heat pump, it might just need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Heretaunga

Every living space of a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is less difficult 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 considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Heretaunga

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, 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 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Heretaunga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Heretaunga

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Heretaunga include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Heretaunga for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.