Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Pipitea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified to assess both 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Pipitea, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Pipitea rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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

Start now and call about receiving a Pipitea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

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

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pipitea

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air will be much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Pipitea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete 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 with the Healthy Homes Standard in Pipitea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over when conducting a home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.