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 July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Hongoeka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are 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 requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and offer a 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 any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified for each of 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 brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hongoeka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Hongoeka, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Hongoeka rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Hongoeka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hongoeka

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Hongoeka

Rental properties in Hongoeka should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hongoeka

Every living space in a rental house must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air will be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least open to the outside, but remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Hongoeka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hongoeka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this 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 with The Healthy Homes Standards in Hongoeka include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hongoeka for Rental Properties

There are many things to check when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.