Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified 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 determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on the Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Hongoeka rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and 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 if the current installed heater(s) are adequate 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 to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it may need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside and remain closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation 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 standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Hongoeka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make it easier to the house to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

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

Find out all the 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 with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.