Healthy Homes Assessment Kenepuru

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Kenepuru rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Kenepuru, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Kenepuru rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Kenepuru rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Kenepuru Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kenepuru

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kenepuru

Kenepuru rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Kenepuru

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Kenepuru

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of 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’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kenepuru

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Kenepuru include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kenepuru for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.