Healthy Homes Assessment Waitangirua

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 must ensure that their Waitangirua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be 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 for rental properties, and are completely qualified for 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 on a Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Waitangirua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Waitangirua, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Waitangirua rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Waitangirua rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Waitangirua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waitangirua

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of the home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Waitangirua

Waitangirua rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Waitangirua

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate 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 quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Waitangirua

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the house to keep warmth.

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

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

• 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waitangirua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waitangirua

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Waitangirua include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waitangirua for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.