Healthy Homes Assessment Pirimai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Pirimai, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Pirimai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Pirimai rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Pirimai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pirimai

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Pirimai

Pirimai rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pirimai

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Pirimai

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental homes since 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 might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pirimai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Pirimai

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pirimai for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in a house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property home assessment.