Healthy Homes Assessment Wairoa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Wairoa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified for 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Wairoa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Wairoa, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Wairoa rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Wairoa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wairoa

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Wairoa

Rental properties in Wairoa must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wairoa

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Wairoa

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task to allow the household to keep 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 gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater 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 of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Wairoa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

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

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Wairoa

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Wairoa include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wairoa for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.