Healthy Homes Assessment Horokiwi

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Horokiwi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Horokiwi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Horokiwi, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Horokiwi rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Horokiwi rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Horokiwi Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Horokiwi

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Horokiwi

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

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Horokiwi

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air is less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high 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 each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Horokiwi

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the home to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Horokiwi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Horokiwi

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Horokiwi for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting the house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property home evaluation.