Healthy Homes Assessment Paparangi

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 are now required to make sure their Paparangi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Paparangi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Paparangi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Paparangi, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Paparangi rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Paparangi rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paparangi

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from your home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Paparangi

Rental properties in Paparangi need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Paparangi

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Paparangi

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of 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 high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Paparangi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Paparangi

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Paparangi include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paparangi for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home assessment.