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? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Wainuiomata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed, and offer a report with 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are completely certified for 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 tenancy is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Wainuiomata, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Wainuiomata rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Wainuiomata rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in homes. A damp house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into your home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Wainuiomata

Rental properties in Wainuiomata should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

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

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Wainuiomata

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier for the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 quality.

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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

The areas of rental property that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Wainuiomata include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.