Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Karaka Bays 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 whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done and offer a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified 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 for a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the 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 inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to remember that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Karaka Bays rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Karaka Bays rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Karaka Bays

Karaka Bays rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes 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. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside, but remain closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Karaka Bays

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and also makes much easier to allow the house to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standard in Karaka Bays include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during an house inspection to determine whether 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 moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.