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 now have to ensure their Aotea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

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

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Aotea, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Aotea rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Aotea rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Aotea

Aotea rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it may need an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Aotea

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Aotea

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor 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

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.