Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

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? Landlords must ensure their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may 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 are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Hongoeka rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Hongoeka rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within your house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka need to have a stable heating source that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it could need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Hongoeka

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

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

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• 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 in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.