Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs 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 meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified for each of 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 new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all 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 present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Hongoeka rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Start now and call about having a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A cold home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Hongoeka

Hongoeka rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it could need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Hongoeka

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier for the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine during an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.