Healthy Homes Assessment Aotea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Aotea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to evaluate both 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 for an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Aotea, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the quality of Aotea rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

Start now and call about receiving a Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Aotea

Rental properties in Aotea should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just require an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Aotea

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Aotea

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes more easy for the household to hold the heat.

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 can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often not apparent that it could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

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

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aotea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during an house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home assessment.