Healthy Homes Assessment Ngaio

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Ngaio rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be completed and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re completely qualified 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 contract is signed on a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Ngaio, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Ngaio rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Ngaio rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngaio

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A damp 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 or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Ngaio

Ngaio rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it could require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ngaio

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Ngaio

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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

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

Ngaio Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and that 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 prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ngaio

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Ngaio include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngaio for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.