Healthy Homes Assessment Waiwhetu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Waiwhetu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to 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 will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified for 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Waiwhetu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home 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?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Waiwhetu, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Waiwhetu rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Waiwhetu rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Waiwhetu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Waiwhetu

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Waiwhetu

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

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Waiwhetu

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Waiwhetu

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Waiwhetu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about 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 to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Waiwhetu include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Waiwhetu for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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