Healthy Homes Assessment Korokoro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Korokoro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can 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 of any work which requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to assess 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 tenancy is signed for a Korokoro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Korokoro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to 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 provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Korokoro, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Korokoro rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Korokoro rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Korokoro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Korokoro

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Korokoro

Rental properties in Korokoro should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Korokoro

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Korokoro

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to the household to retain warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Korokoro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home 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 as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Korokoro

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Korokoro include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Korokoro for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties home assessment.