Healthy Homes Assessment Waiwhetu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Waiwhetu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high 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 hard, resulting 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.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Waiwhetu, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Waiwhetu rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Waiwhetu rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiwhetu

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of the house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waiwhetu

Waiwhetu rental properties should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required 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 whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it may require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Waiwhetu

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding that dried air can be less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Waiwhetu

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and it will make it easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waiwhetu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Waiwhetu

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiwhetu for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

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