Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

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 their Karori rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy contract’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 landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully qualified for 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on the Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Karori, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the standard of Karori rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Karori rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Karori

Rental properties in Karori need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the 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 portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it may require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karori

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Karori

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karori

Property rental areas that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Karori include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.