Healthy Homes Assessment Waterloo

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Waterloo 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 fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Waterloo rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Waterloo rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Waterloo, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Waterloo rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Waterloo rental properties.

Start now and call about the Waterloo Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waterloo

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of the home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in 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 healthy homes

Heating Waterloo

Waterloo rental properties need to have a stable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waterloo

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Waterloo

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 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, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waterloo Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waterloo

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Waterloo include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waterloo for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.