Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Pipitea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks which requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’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 to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to evaluate 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

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

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Pipitea rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Pipitea rental properties.

Start now and call about the Pipitea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

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

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should have an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require an update to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pipitea

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Pipitea

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the house to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pipitea

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Pipitea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home assessment.