Healthy Homes Assessment Karori

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Karori rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Karori rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Karori 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 inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

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

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house inspection performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Karori, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the standard of Karori rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Karori rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Karori Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karori

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Karori

Rental properties in Karori need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Karori

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

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Karori

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to allow the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Karori Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Karori include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karori for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.