Healthy Homes Assessment Aotea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Aotea 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Aotea, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Aotea rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over 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 within Aotea rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Aotea

Rental properties in Aotea require a reliable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Aotea

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Aotea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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

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

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier 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 helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Aotea

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home assessment.