Healthy Homes Assessment Ngauranga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Ngauranga rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be completed and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified for 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Ngauranga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Ngauranga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Ngauranga, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Ngauranga rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Control in Ngauranga rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngauranga

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from your home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

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

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Ngauranga

Rental properties in Ngauranga should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it may need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ngauranga

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Ngauranga

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

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

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ngauranga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ngauranga

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngauranga for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space 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?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house assessment.