Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Kaiwharawhara rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done, 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 in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the quality of Kaiwharawhara rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over 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 on Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Kaiwharawhara Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Kaiwharawhara rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task to allow the home to retain warmth.

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

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

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kaiwharawhara include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.