Healthy Homes Assessment Aotea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Aotea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

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

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Aotea, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the standard of Aotea rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Aotea rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Aotea

Rental properties in Aotea require a reliable source of heat that can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended 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), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Aotea

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Aotea

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

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

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of 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 to the Healthy Homes Standard in Aotea include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

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