Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

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 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 fully conforming by the 1st 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 and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a 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 adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Hongoeka rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long-term.

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

Get started now and contact us about the Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Hongoeka

Hongoeka rental properties require a reliable 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 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 least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in a rental home must include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Hongoeka

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

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

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

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Rental property areas affected by Health 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 check when conducting the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.