Healthy Homes Assessment Aro Valley

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 make sure their Aro Valley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas 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 assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on an Aro Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details 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 supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named 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 Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Aro Valley, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Aro Valley rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Aro Valley rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aro Valley

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Aro Valley

Aro Valley rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing permanent 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 the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it could need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Aro Valley

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air will be much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Aro Valley

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to allow the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Aro Valley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor 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 Aro Valley

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

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aro Valley for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental property house evaluation.