Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Kaiwharawhara rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant 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 to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for 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 brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Kaiwharawhara rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Kaiwharawhara Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Kaiwharawhara rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside and remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to allow the house to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with 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 better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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

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

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

Property rental areas that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Kaiwharawhara include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.