Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

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

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Hongoeka rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Hongoeka rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Hongoeka

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Hongoeka

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to allow the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands 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 part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually not apparent that it can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home evaluation.