Healthy Homes Assessment Wainuiomata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 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 rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which requirements to be done and offer a 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 breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Wainuiomata, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the quality of Wainuiomata rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be protected 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, and Draught stopping on Wainuiomata rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Wainuiomata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the home require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. 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.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wainuiomata

Rental properties in Wainuiomata must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Wainuiomata

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make it easier to the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this 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 with the Healthy Homes Standard in Wainuiomata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house evaluation.