Healthy Homes Assessment Wainuiomata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Wainuiomata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 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 whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated 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

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised 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 provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

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

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and request a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Wainuiomata, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Wainuiomata rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Wainuiomata rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for 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 source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Every living space of a rental home must include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air will be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able open to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Wainuiomata

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Wainuiomata

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Wainuiomata include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.