Healthy Homes Assessment Rongotai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Rongotai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Rongotai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Rongotai, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Rongotai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Rongotai

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Rongotai

Rongotai rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Rongotai

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising how dried air can be easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Rongotai

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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 standard.

Rongotai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Rongotai

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Rongotai include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Rongotai for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.