Healthy Homes Assessment Pinehaven

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 ensure their Pinehaven rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the 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 done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Pinehaven rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Pinehaven, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Pinehaven rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Pinehaven rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Pinehaven Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pinehaven

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Pinehaven

Rental properties in Pinehaven require a reliable heating source which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Pinehaven

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Pinehaven

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make it easier for the household to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the 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 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Pinehaven Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pinehaven

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Pinehaven include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pinehaven for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house assessment.