Healthy Homes Assessment Pukahu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Pukahu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pukahu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Pukahu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Pukahu, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who report four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Pukahu rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Start now and call about receiving a Pukahu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pukahu

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Pukahu

Pukahu rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it could require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pukahu

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Pukahu

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Pukahu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring 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 typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent 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 Pukahu

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Pukahu include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pukahu for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.