Healthy Homes Assessment Kenepuru

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Kenepuru rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Kenepuru, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Kenepuru rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Kenepuru rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Kenepuru Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kenepuru

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the house need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Kenepuru

Kenepuru rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient 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 are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kenepuru

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Kenepuru

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes much easier for the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Kenepuru Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kenepuru

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Kenepuru include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kenepuru for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.