Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Pipitea 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 subjects 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

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

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Pipitea, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Pipitea rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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 Control within Pipitea rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Pipitea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll 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 safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pipitea

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Pipitea

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pipitea

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Pipitea include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.