Healthy Homes Assessment Haywards

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Haywards rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Haywards rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Haywards, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Haywards 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 health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Haywards rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haywards

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from your home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Haywards

Rental properties in Haywards need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Haywards

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Haywards

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

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

Haywards Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Haywards

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Haywards include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haywards for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.