Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

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? Landlords are now required to make sure their Karori rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with 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 complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the quality of Karori rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Karori rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Karori

Rental properties in Karori must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it may need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Karori

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Karori

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to allow the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing 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 Karori

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Karori include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.