Healthy Homes Assessment Pinehaven

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Pinehaven rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals 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 evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’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 who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description 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 the property in New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Pinehaven rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

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 receiving a Pinehaven Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from the home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pinehaven

Pinehaven rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pinehaven

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Pinehaven

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task to allow the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pinehaven Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things 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 well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pinehaven

Rental property areas affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Pinehaven include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home evaluation.