Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Karori rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully 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 check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Karori, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Karori rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Karori rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap, then it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Karori

Karori rental properties must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karori

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside and remain closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Karori

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes more easy for the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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 Karori

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Karori include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? 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 sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.