Healthy Homes Assessment Waterloo

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Waterloo rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of 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 Waterloo rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waterloo rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Waterloo, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improve the standard of Waterloo rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Waterloo rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Waterloo Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waterloo

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waterloo

Waterloo rental properties should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Waterloo

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Waterloo

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to the home to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to 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 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waterloo Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waterloo

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Waterloo include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waterloo for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home evaluation.