Healthy Homes Assessment Poukawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Poukawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in 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 $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely qualified to evaluate 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Poukawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Poukawa, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Poukawa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of 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 on Poukawa rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Poukawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Poukawa

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Poukawa

Rental properties in Poukawa must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Poukawa

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Poukawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task to the house to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

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

Poukawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

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

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Poukawa

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Poukawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Poukawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.