Healthy Homes Assessment Papakowhai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Papakowhai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Papakowhai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Papakowhai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being 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 needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Papakowhai, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the quality of Papakowhai rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Papakowhai rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Papakowhai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Papakowhai

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Papakowhai

Rental properties in Papakowhai need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it could require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Papakowhai

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Papakowhai

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Papakowhai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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 Papakowhai

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

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Papakowhai for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.