Healthy Homes Assessment Kenepuru

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Kenepuru rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate both 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Kenepuru rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is important to remember that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Kenepuru, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Kenepuru rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

Start now and call about receiving a Kenepuru Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kenepuru

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or an opening that 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 the home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the home is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Kenepuru

Rental properties in Kenepuru must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might need a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Kenepuru

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air is easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Kenepuru

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kenepuru Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kenepuru

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Kenepuru include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kenepuru for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.