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? The landlords are now required to make sure their Wainuiomata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are 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 meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Wainuiomata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Wainuiomata rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wainuiomata

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Wainuiomata

Wainuiomata rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Wainuiomata

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Wainuiomata

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to the home to hold the heat.

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

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wainuiomata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wainuiomata

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Wainuiomata include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wainuiomata for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.