Healthy Homes Assessment Petone

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’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 not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Petone rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Petone rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and request a house inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Petone, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Petone rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Petone rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Petone Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Petone

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within the home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Petone

Petone rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter 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 heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to include a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it may require an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Petone

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Petone

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to allow the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Petone Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Petone

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Petone include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Petone for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.