Healthy Homes Assessment Pakowhai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Pakowhai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects 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 whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Pakowhai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Pakowhai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Pakowhai, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Pakowhai rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Pakowhai rental properties.

Start now and call about the Pakowhai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pakowhai

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A damp house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Pakowhai

Rental properties in Pakowhai need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pakowhai

Every living space in a rental home must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Pakowhai

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy to the home to hold the heat.

Insulation needs 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 insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pakowhai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pakowhai

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Pakowhai include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pakowhai for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have 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 a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.