Healthy Homes Assessment Waiohiki

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 are now required to ensure their Waiohiki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

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Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Waiohiki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed 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 current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it 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 before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

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

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Waiohiki, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Waiohiki rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Waiohiki rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Waiohiki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiohiki

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Waiohiki

Rental properties in Waiohiki require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on 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 heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it might require an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waiohiki

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Waiohiki

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Waiohiki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed 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 that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waiohiki

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Waiohiki include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiohiki for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.