Healthy Homes Assessment Naenae

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Naenae rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 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 tasks required. needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Naenae rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Naenae rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on the 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 Naenae, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Naenae rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Naenae rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Naenae

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

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Naenae

Rental properties in Naenae must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Naenae

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. We offer a 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.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Naenae

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor 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 standard.

Naenae Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Naenae

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

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Naenae for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for during a home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.