Healthy Homes Assessment Pakipaki

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 232 113

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 Pakipaki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Pakipaki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Pakipaki, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Pakipaki rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Pakipaki rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Pakipaki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pakipaki

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pakipaki

Rental properties in Pakipaki must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current installed 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 mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Pakipaki

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside and remain closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Pakipaki

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy 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 is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• 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 standard.

Pakipaki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pakipaki

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pakipaki for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.