Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Karori 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified for 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 Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a home assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Karori, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Karori rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Karori rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Karori Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within the house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Karori

Rental properties in Karori require a reliable source of heating which can warm the main or largest 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 that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Karori

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to be able to open to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Karori

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the home to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 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, 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the 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 Karori

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.