Healthy Homes Assessment Pirimai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Pirimai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Pirimai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, 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 are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Pirimai, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Pirimai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Pirimai rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Pirimai

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Pirimai

Pirimai rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be 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 the installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it might just need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Pirimai

Every living space of a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Pirimai

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and it will make more easy to the home to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists 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 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Pirimai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. 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 Pirimai

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Pirimai include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Pirimai for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.