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 must make sure their Ngaio rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st 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 check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be done, and provide the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Ngaio, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Ngaio rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Ngaio rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Ngaio Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngaio

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A humid house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Ngaio

Rental properties in Ngaio must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ngaio

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Ngaio

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Ngaio Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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 Ngaio

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Ngaio include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngaio for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.