Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Karaka Bays rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely 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 to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Karaka Bays rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Karaka Bays rental properties.

Start now and call about the Karaka Bays Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Karaka Bays

Karaka Bays rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Karaka Bays

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to allow the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the 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 Karaka Bays

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.