Healthy Homes Assessment Pirimai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Pirimai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is 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 requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Pirimai, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Pirimai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Pirimai rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pirimai

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A humid house will cost more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Pirimai

Pirimai rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pirimai

Each living space within a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Pirimai

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task for the home to retain heat.

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

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

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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pirimai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pirimai

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Pirimai include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pirimai for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.