Healthy Homes Assessment Rongotai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Rongotai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be done, and provide a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Rongotai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Rongotai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or 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 and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

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

It is also important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Rongotai, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Rongotai rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Rongotai rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Rongotai

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building when the home warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Rongotai

Rental properties in Rongotai must have a fixed heating source that can heat the 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 well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

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

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Rongotai

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air is less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Rongotai

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to allow the home to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Rongotai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Rongotai

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Rongotai include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Rongotai for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.