Healthy Homes Assessment Aotea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Aotea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Aotea, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Aotea rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Start now and call about receiving a Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the house require 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 accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Aotea

Rental properties in Aotea should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Aotea

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Aotea

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task for the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 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 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aotea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental properties home evaluation.