Healthy Homes Assessment Ngauranga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Ngauranga 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be done and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under 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 healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified for each of 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 Ngauranga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Ngauranga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Ngauranga, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Ngauranga rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Ngauranga rental properties.

Start now and call about the Ngauranga Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngauranga

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area 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 from a crack or a gap, then it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building when the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of 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 healthy homes

Heating Ngauranga

Rental properties in Ngauranga need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ngauranga

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards 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 for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Ngauranga

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Ngauranga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Ngauranga

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

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngauranga for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.