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 now have to make sure that their Kaiwharawhara rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of 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 to assess each of 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Kaiwharawhara rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Kaiwharawhara, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Kaiwharawhara rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

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

Contact us now to discuss getting a Kaiwharawhara Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Kaiwharawhara

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Kaiwharawhara

Rental properties in Kaiwharawhara need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it may need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Kaiwharawhara

Every living space of the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Kaiwharawhara

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to the home to retain 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 insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Kaiwharawhara Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Kaiwharawhara include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Kaiwharawhara for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.