Healthy Homes Assessment Pauatahanui

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Pauatahanui rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 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. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pauatahanui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Pauatahanui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and request a house assessment performed for your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Pauatahanui, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Pauatahanui rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Pauatahanui rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Pauatahanui Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pauatahanui

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Pauatahanui

Rental properties in Pauatahanui need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Pauatahanui

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with 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 an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Pauatahanui

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pauatahanui Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pauatahanui

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Pauatahanui include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pauatahanui for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in the home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.