Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Hongoeka rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Hongoeka rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from your home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building as the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Hongoeka

Hongoeka rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Hongoeka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task for the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for 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 rest 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

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

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed 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 that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Hongoeka include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.