Healthy Homes Assessment Waitangirua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Waitangirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely 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 can evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess 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 for a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Waitangirua, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Waitangirua rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over 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 on Waitangirua rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waitangirua

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Waitangirua

Rental properties in Waitangirua need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waitangirua

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Waitangirua

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waitangirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waitangirua

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Waitangirua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waitangirua for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check during an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.