Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

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? Landlords must ensure that their Pipitea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by 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 requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details 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 landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Pipitea, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Pipitea rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Pipitea rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it could need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pipitea

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards 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 in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Pipitea

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pipitea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Pipitea include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.