Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea 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 the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details 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 information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Karaka Bays rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

Begin now by calling about having 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 households. A cold home 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, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Karaka Bays

Rental properties in Karaka Bays should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

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

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Karaka Bays

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

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

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

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete 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 to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Karaka Bays include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental property house evaluation.