Healthy Homes Assessment Aro Valley

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Aro Valley rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Aro Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for an Aro Valley rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Aro Valley, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Aro Valley rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Aro Valley rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Aro Valley Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aro Valley

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out from the house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Aro Valley

Aro Valley rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Aro Valley

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Aro Valley

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making more easy for the household to retain 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 more effective the insulation.

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

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

Aro Valley Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aro Valley

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Aro Valley include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aro Valley for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.