Healthy Homes Assessment Pukerua Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Pukerua Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pukerua Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Pukerua Bay 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 by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is important to remember that landlords who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request an home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Pukerua Bay, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Pukerua Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Pukerua Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pukerua Bay

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Pukerua Bay

Pukerua Bay rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Pukerua Bay

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Pukerua Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier to the house to hold the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pukerua Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pukerua Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Pukerua Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pukerua Bay for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties house evaluation.