Healthy Homes Assessment Aotea

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 make sure that their Aotea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement 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 the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Aotea, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Aotea rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Aotea rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit of the house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Aotea

Rental properties in Aotea require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Aotea

Every living space of a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. 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 needs to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Aotea

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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

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

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and 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 water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aotea

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things you should look for during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.