Healthy Homes Assessment Onekawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Onekawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Onekawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Onekawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Onekawa, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Onekawa rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Onekawa rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Onekawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Onekawa

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being houses

Heating Onekawa

Rental properties in Onekawa require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Onekawa

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Onekawa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task for the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater 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 floor 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Onekawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Onekawa

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Onekawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Onekawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.