Healthy Homes Assessment Waiwhetu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Waiwhetu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Waiwhetu, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Waiwhetu rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Waiwhetu rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Waiwhetu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiwhetu

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within your home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Waiwhetu

Waiwhetu rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested 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) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, 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 may need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waiwhetu

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Waiwhetu

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes it easier to the home to retain the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of 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, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waiwhetu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your 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 Waiwhetu

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiwhetu for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.