Healthy Homes Assessment Aro Valley

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Aro Valley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Aro Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Aro Valley, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Aro Valley rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Aro Valley rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Aro Valley Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aro Valley

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A damp house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Aro Valley

Aro Valley rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Aro Valley

Every living space of a rental home must include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Aro Valley

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to allow the house to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Aro Valley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aro Valley

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Aro Valley include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aro Valley for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over when conducting an 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 sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.