Healthy Homes Assessment Waiohiki

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? Landlords are now required to ensure their Waiohiki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of 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 new or renewed contract is signed on a Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Waiohiki, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Waiohiki rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Waiohiki rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Waiohiki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiohiki

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waiohiki

Rental properties in Waiohiki must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to have a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waiohiki

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Waiohiki

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier for the house to hold heat.

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

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

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

Waiohiki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waiohiki

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Waiohiki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiohiki for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during an house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation 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 home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.