Healthy Homes Assessment Whakatu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Whakatu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

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

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Whakatu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Whakatu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Whakatu, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Whakatu rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Whakatu rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Whakatu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Whakatu

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Whakatu

Whakatu rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Whakatu

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not need 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 fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Whakatu

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to allow the house to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Whakatu 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; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Whakatu

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Whakatu include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Whakatu for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.