Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Karaka Bays rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 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 determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to assess 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when 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 within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Karaka Bays rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control within Karaka Bays rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Karaka Bays Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within the home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Karaka Bays

Karaka Bays rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

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 for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Karaka Bays

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to the household to retain 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 can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Karaka Bays include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.