Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Pipitea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant 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 determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks which needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified for each of 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 new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on the Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Pipitea, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Pipitea rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for 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 Draught stopping in Pipitea rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Pipitea

Pipitea rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine 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 to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pipitea

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is 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 liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Pipitea

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making more easy for the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area of 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

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

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Pipitea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Pipitea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over in the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences 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 services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.