Healthy Homes Assessment Paremata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Paremata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals 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 will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are 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 tenancy is signed on a Paremata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, 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 relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Paremata, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Paremata rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means 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 Draught-stopping within Paremata rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Paremata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paremata

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A cold home is more expensive 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 needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Paremata

Rental properties in Paremata need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest 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 needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it might need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Paremata

Every living space of a rental home must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Paremata

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to allow the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Paremata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Paremata

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Paremata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paremata for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during an house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.