Healthy Homes Assessment Wainuiomata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Wainuiomata 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 fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be completed and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed for 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?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Wainuiomata, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Wainuiomata rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Wainuiomata rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Wainuiomata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit of the home need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Wainuiomata

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

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll 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 to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Wainuiomata

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

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wainuiomata

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Wainuiomata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine during a home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home evaluation.