Healthy Homes Assessment Karaka Bays

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Karaka Bays 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order 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 the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate both 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 contract is signed on a Karaka Bays rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Karaka Bays, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Karaka Bays rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karaka Bays

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into your home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Karaka Bays

Karaka Bays rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, 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 health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karaka Bays

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Karaka Bays

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to the house to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor 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

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

Karaka Bays Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karaka Bays

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standards in Karaka Bays include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karaka Bays for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

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