Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Karaka Bays rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation 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 supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Karaka Bays rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy houses

Heating Karaka Bays

Rental properties in Karaka Bays must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Every living space of a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Karaka Bays

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge 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 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Karaka Bays include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house assessment.