Healthy Homes Assessment Horokiwi

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Horokiwi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Horokiwi, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Horokiwi rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Horokiwi rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Horokiwi Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Horokiwi

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps 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 an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into the house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Horokiwi

Rental properties in Horokiwi require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Horokiwi

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Horokiwi

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make more easy for the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Horokiwi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Horokiwi

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Horokiwi include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Horokiwi for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for in a home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.