Healthy Homes Assessment Petone

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Petone rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Petone rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Petone rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Petone, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Petone rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Petone rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Petone Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Petone

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Petone

Rental properties in Petone should have a permanent heating source that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Petone

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Petone

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task to the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Petone Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Petone

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Petone for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.