Healthy Homes Assessment Onekawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Onekawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Onekawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Onekawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

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

It is important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Onekawa, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Onekawa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Onekawa rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Onekawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Onekawa

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A damp house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of the house require seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Onekawa

Onekawa rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Onekawa

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Onekawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and it will make more easy for the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Onekawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Onekawa

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Onekawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Onekawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property home evaluation.