Healthy Homes Assessment Rongotai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Rongotai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any 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 will assess the rental property you have in order to 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 any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Rongotai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Rongotai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Rongotai, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Rongotai rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

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

Contact us now to discuss the Rongotai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Rongotai

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Rongotai

Rongotai rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Rongotai

Each living space within a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Rongotai

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Rongotai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Rongotai

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Rongotai include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Rongotai for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.