Healthy Homes Assessment Pakipaki

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 must make sure that their Pakipaki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by 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 whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pakipaki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Pakipaki, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Pakipaki rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Pakipaki rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Pakipaki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pakipaki

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pakipaki

Pakipaki rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pakipaki

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The 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 high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Pakipaki

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to the house to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pakipaki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

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

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pakipaki

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Pakipaki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pakipaki for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.