Healthy Homes Assessment Waipatu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Waipatu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified for 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Waipatu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Waipatu, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Waipatu rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over 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 Control on Waipatu rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Waipatu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waipatu

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into the house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waipatu

Waipatu rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to include a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger 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, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Waipatu

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Waipatu

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task to the household to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waipatu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only 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 to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect 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 your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waipatu

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Waipatu include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waipatu for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.