Healthy Homes Assessment Porirua

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 make sure that their Porirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Porirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Porirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Porirua, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Porirua rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Porirua rental properties.

Start now and call about the Porirua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Porirua

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Porirua

Porirua rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need an upgrade 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.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Porirua

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Porirua

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to the home to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Porirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Porirua

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Porirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Porirua for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.