Healthy Homes Assessment Porirua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Porirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate 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 of any work which needs to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Porirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a 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 meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Porirua, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Porirua rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Start now and call about getting a Porirua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Porirua

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Porirua

Porirua rental properties should have a permanent heating source which can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Porirua

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Porirua

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to the house to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements 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 insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Porirua 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 make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Porirua

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Porirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Porirua for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.