Healthy Homes Assessment Pinehaven

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have 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 rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified for 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Pinehaven rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from the house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Pinehaven

Rental properties in Pinehaven should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pinehaven

Each liveable space in a rental house must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Pinehaven

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to allow the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pinehaven Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The 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 with the Healthy Homes Standards in Pinehaven include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in a home 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 insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.