Healthy Homes Assessment Pinehaven

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 make sure 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 conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to assess each of 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 new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the standard of Pinehaven rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Pinehaven rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Pinehaven Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Pinehaven

Pinehaven rental properties should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pinehaven

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or 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 the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Pinehaven

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes it easier to allow the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pinehaven Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pinehaven

The areas of rental property that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Pinehaven include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home evaluation.