Healthy Homes Assessment Napier

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Napier rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

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

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

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified for both 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Napier rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Napier, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Napier rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Napier rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Napier

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Napier

Rental properties in Napier require a reliable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it might need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Napier

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Napier

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values 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 high the R-value, higher the quality of insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Napier Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm 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 an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The 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 Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Napier include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Napier for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental property house assessment.