Healthy Homes Assessment Poraiti

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Poraiti rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be completed, 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 to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Poraiti rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new 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 relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Poraiti, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Poraiti rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Poraiti rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Poraiti Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Poraiti

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Poraiti

Rental properties in Poraiti require a reliable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Poraiti

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Poraiti

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Poraiti Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also helps 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 Poraiti

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Poraiti for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.