Healthy Homes Assessment Paparangi

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Paparangi rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Paparangi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Paparangi rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge 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 ask us to conduct a home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Paparangi, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Paparangi rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Paparangi rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Paparangi Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Paparangi

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for well-being houses

Heating Paparangi

Rental properties in Paparangi require a reliable source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Paparangi

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Paparangi

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

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

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Paparangi Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, 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 an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Paparangi

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Paparangi include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Paparangi for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting a home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.