Healthy Homes Assessment Pauatahanui

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 are now required to make sure their Pauatahanui rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Pauatahanui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Pauatahanui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Pauatahanui, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Pauatahanui rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Pauatahanui rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Pauatahanui Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pauatahanui

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Pauatahanui

Pauatahanui rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require 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 acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it may require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pauatahanui

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Pauatahanui

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to the household to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Pauatahanui 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 as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the 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 Pauatahanui

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Pauatahanui include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pauatahanui for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.