Healthy Homes Assessment Putorino

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Putorino 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

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 Putorino rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Putorino rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Putorino, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Putorino rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Putorino rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Putorino

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

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

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Putorino

Putorino rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it could need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Putorino

Each living space within a rental home must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Putorino

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to the household to retain warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Putorino Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Putorino

Property rental areas that are affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Putorino include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Putorino for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a 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 properties home evaluation.