Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Karaka Bays rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request an house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Karaka Bays rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Karaka Bays rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Karaka Bays

Karaka Bays rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Karaka Bays

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 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 quality.

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Karaka Bays include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property home assessment.