Healthy Homes Assessment Pinehaven

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Pinehaven rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified 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 requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate 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 for a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

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

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Pinehaven rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Pinehaven rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Pinehaven Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Pinehaven

Rental properties in Pinehaven need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pinehaven

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Pinehaven

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to allow the home to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Pinehaven 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 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 is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also 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 apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pinehaven

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Pinehaven include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.