Healthy Homes Assessment Omahu

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Omahu rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Omahu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Omahu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

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

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Omahu, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Omahu 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 will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Omahu rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Omahu Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Omahu

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from your house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Omahu

Omahu rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Omahu

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms 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 need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Omahu

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Omahu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it is 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 comes to moisture and damp it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Omahu

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Omahu include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Omahu for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check in the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.