Healthy Homes Assessment Haumoana

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Haumoana rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done and provide an evaluation 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 breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

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Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Haumoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Haumoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Haumoana, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Haumoana rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Haumoana rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Haumoana Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Haumoana

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Haumoana

Haumoana rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Haumoana

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Haumoana

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better 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, 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Haumoana Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective 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 also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an 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 your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the home. 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 Haumoana

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Haumoana include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Haumoana for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home assessment.