Healthy Homes Assessment Wairoa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Wairoa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be completed 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 of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified for 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 contract is signed on a Wairoa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Wairoa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Wairoa, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Wairoa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Wairoa rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Wairoa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Wairoa

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Wairoa

Wairoa rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it may require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Wairoa

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Wairoa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to allow the house to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

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

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

Wairoa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of 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 doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent 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

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Wairoa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Wairoa for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for in an house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.