Healthy Homes Assessment Waitangirua

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 ensure their Waitangirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate each of 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Waitangirua, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the standard of Waitangirua rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Waitangirua rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waitangirua

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Waitangirua

Rental properties in Waitangirua require a reliable heating source that can warm the main or largest 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 health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should have a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waitangirua

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Waitangirua

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make more easy for the house to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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 quality.

Waitangirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waitangirua

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Waitangirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waitangirua for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check during a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.