Healthy Homes Assessment Poukawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Poukawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely 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 determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Poukawa, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Poukawa rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance 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 Control for Poukawa rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Poukawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Poukawa

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A cold home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and 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 or crack, then it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Poukawa

Poukawa rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Poukawa

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air is less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Poukawa

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making much easier for the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Poukawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Poukawa

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Poukawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Poukawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.