Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Karori rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the 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. requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in 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 $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Karori, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Karori 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 will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Karori rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Karori Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the house heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Karori

Karori rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 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 health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must include an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karori

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Karori

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is 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 constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karori

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Karori include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.