Healthy Homes Assessment Paparangi

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Paparangi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified for both 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Paparangi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Paparangi 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 anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that landlords with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Paparangi, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Paparangi rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Paparangi rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Paparangi Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paparangi

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Paparangi

Paparangi rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to have a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Paparangi

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside and remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Paparangi

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and also makes much easier to the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 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.

Paparangi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of 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 inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s 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.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Paparangi

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paparangi for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.