Healthy Homes Assessment Wainuiomata

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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Wainuiomata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be completed, and offer the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to assess 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Wainuiomata, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Wainuiomata rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Wainuiomata rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Wainuiomata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Wainuiomata

Wainuiomata rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it needs to include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Every living space of a rental home must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Wainuiomata

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy for the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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

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

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wainuiomata

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Wainuiomata include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.