Healthy Homes Assessment Napier

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Napier rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Napier rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Napier rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Napier, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Napier rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Napier rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Napier Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Napier

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Napier

Napier rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, 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 source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Napier

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

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

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Napier

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to allow the house to keep 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 greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Napier Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Napier

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Napier include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Napier for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.