Healthy Homes Assessment Pandora

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Pandora rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Pandora rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Pandora rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an 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 landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Pandora, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Pandora rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Pandora rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Pandora Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pandora

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Pandora

Rental properties in Pandora require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pandora

Every living space of a rental house must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

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

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Pandora

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, as well as making an easier task for the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pandora Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pandora

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

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pandora for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.