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 are now required to ensure their Karaka Bays rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st 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 and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to assess 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 contract is signed on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Karaka Bays rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Karaka Bays rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Karaka Bays Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Karaka Bays

Karaka Bays rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it could need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Karaka Bays

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Karaka Bays include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.