Healthy Homes Assessment Paremata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Paremata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Paremata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Paremata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Paremata, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Paremata rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Paremata rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Paremata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paremata

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Paremata

Rental properties in Paremata need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Paremata

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Paremata

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to allow the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Paremata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Paremata

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paremata for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home evaluation.