Healthy Homes Assessment Aotea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure 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 rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st 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 the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Aotea, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Aotea rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Aotea rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Aotea

Aotea rental properties must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Aotea

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Aotea

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground 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 getting into the structure. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aotea

The areas of rental property that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.