Healthy Homes Assessment Pukerua Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Pukerua Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified for 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 on a Pukerua Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Pukerua Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Pukerua Bay, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Pukerua Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Pukerua Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pukerua Bay

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pukerua Bay

Pukerua Bay rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it may require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pukerua Bay

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Pukerua Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making it easier for the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pukerua Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pukerua Bay

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pukerua Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.