Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by 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 will advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified for each of 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is 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 needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Kaiwharawhara rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of your home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Kaiwharawhara rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might require a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and also makes it easier for the home to retain warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Kaiwharawhara include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with 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 the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.