Healthy Homes Assessment Ngaio

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 must ensure their Ngaio rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified 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 to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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 associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate 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 Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Ngaio rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability 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 the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request 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 necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

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 in New Zealand and Ngaio, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Ngaio rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Ngaio rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Ngaio Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ngaio

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from your house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Ngaio

Ngaio rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices 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 could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ngaio

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Ngaio

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making an easier task to the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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.

Ngaio Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ngaio

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Ngaio include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ngaio for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.