Healthy Homes Assessment Porirua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Porirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine 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 needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach 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 $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified to assess both 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Porirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Porirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

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

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Porirua, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Porirua rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Porirua rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Porirua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Porirua

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A draughty home costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Porirua

Rental properties in Porirua must have a fixed heating source that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should include a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Porirua

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate 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 quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Porirua

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Porirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also 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 moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Porirua

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Porirua for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with 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 a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home assessment.