Healthy Homes Assessment Paremata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Paremata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Paremata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Paremata, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Paremata rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Paremata rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Paremata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paremata

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A humid home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Paremata

Paremata rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Paremata

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Paremata

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

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

Paremata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Paremata

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Paremata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paremata for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.