Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified for 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kaiwharawhara 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 deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, 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 property they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Kaiwharawhara rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Rental properties in Kaiwharawhara need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it might need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising how dried air can be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

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

• 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Kaiwharawhara include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental property house evaluation.