Healthy Homes Assessment Waipawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Waipawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 232 113

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Waipawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Waipawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Waipawa, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Waipawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Waipawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waipawa

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waipawa

Waipawa rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should have the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waipawa

Every living space of a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Waipawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. 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 house can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make much easier to the house to keep warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

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

Waipawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waipawa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to The Healthy Homes Standard in Waipawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waipawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over during a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and 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 falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house assessment.