Healthy Homes Assessment Pipitea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified to assess 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 for a Pipitea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Pipitea, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Pipitea rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Pipitea rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Pipitea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pipitea

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may 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 rather than securing. We will examine every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Pipitea

Rental properties in Pipitea must have a fixed heating source that can heat the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pipitea

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Pipitea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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 standard.

Pipitea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Pipitea include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pipitea for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in an house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a 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 managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.