Healthy Homes Assessment Raupunga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Raupunga rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess each of 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 new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Raupunga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Raupunga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Raupunga, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Raupunga rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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 Raupunga rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Raupunga Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Raupunga

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Raupunga

Raupunga rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Raupunga

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements at least open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Raupunga

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Raupunga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Raupunga

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Raupunga for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house evaluation.