Healthy Homes Assessment Wairoa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Wairoa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’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 complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Wairoa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Wairoa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Wairoa, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Wairoa rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Wairoa rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Wairoa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wairoa

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building when the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wairoa

Wairoa rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 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 check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Wairoa

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Wairoa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Wairoa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit 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 floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wairoa

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Wairoa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wairoa for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.