Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Karaka Bays rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of 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 rent homes in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Karaka Bays rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Start now and call about getting a Karaka Bays Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within your home require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Karaka Bays

Rental properties in Karaka Bays must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like an air conditioner, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain closed, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Karaka Bays

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the home to hold heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Karaka Bays include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in a 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 space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.