Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Karori 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 are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely certified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Karori, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Karori rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Karori rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Karori Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Karori

Karori rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it needs to include an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it may require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Karori

Each living space within a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay closed to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Karori

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to allow the household to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karori

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Karori include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.