Healthy Homes Assessment Arakura

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Arakura rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to 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 the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of 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 healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified for 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 brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Arakura rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Arakura rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on 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 related work is completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Arakura, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Arakura rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Arakura rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Arakura Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Arakura

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Arakura

Arakura rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), then it must have a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Arakura

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

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

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Arakura

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task for the house to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Arakura Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Arakura

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Arakura include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Arakura for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.