Healthy Homes Assessment Kenepuru

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 are now required to make sure their Kenepuru rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’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 any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also 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 contract is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Kenepuru, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Kenepuru rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Kenepuru rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kenepuru

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kenepuru

Rental properties in Kenepuru must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kenepuru

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Kenepuru

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making it easier for the household to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kenepuru Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kenepuru

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Kenepuru include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kenepuru for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.