Healthy Homes Assessment Epuni

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 make sure that their Epuni rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be done and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Epuni rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on an Epuni rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Epuni, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Epuni rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Epuni rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Epuni Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Epuni

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Epuni

Epuni rental properties must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps 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 your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Epuni

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Epuni

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Epuni Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to 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 about damp and water, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Epuni

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Epuni include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Epuni for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.