Healthy Homes Assessment Waiwhetu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Waiwhetu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 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 to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request a house inspection performed for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Waiwhetu, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Waiwhetu rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Waiwhetu rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiwhetu

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out from your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Waiwhetu

Rental properties in Waiwhetu must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it may require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waiwhetu

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Waiwhetu

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waiwhetu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waiwhetu

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through The Healthy Homes Standards in Waiwhetu include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiwhetu for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.