Healthy Homes Assessment Hongoeka

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? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Hongoeka rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Hongoeka rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the home is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Hongoeka

Hongoeka rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding that dried air can be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Hongoeka

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hongoeka

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Hongoeka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties house evaluation.