Healthy Homes Assessment Pirimai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Pirimai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be done and offer a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Pirimai, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Pirimai rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping in Pirimai rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Pirimai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pirimai

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Pirimai

Pirimai rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC 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 wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Pirimai

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Pirimai

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to allow the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pirimai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Pirimai

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pirimai for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.