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 make sure that their Ngaio 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 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 meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Ngaio, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Ngaio rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Ngaio rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Ngaio Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngaio

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the home is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Ngaio

Ngaio rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ngaio

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air is less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Ngaio

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier for the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and 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

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

Ngaio Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ngaio

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Ngaio include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngaio for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.