Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified for each of 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Haywards, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Haywards rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Haywards rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Haywards Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Haywards

Rental properties in Haywards should have a permanent heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Haywards

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air will be 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 rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Haywards

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house 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 hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture 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 stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Haywards

Rental property areas affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during an house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum 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?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.