Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Pipitea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors for 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Pipitea, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Pipitea rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Pipitea rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Pipitea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea should have a permanent heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pipitea

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Pipitea

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier for the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist 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 North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pipitea

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Pipitea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.