Healthy Homes Assessment Kaiwharawhara

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Kaiwharawhara 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply 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 homes in New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Kaiwharawhara rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Kaiwharawhara rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Kaiwharawhara Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Rental properties in Kaiwharawhara need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Each liveable space in a rental house must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is less difficult to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier for the home to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Kaiwharawhara

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Kaiwharawhara include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.