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? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Aotea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to 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 any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer a 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 under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Aotea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house inspection performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Aotea, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Aotea rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Aotea rental properties.

Start now and call about the Aotea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Aotea

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate 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 air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it is most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household heats and cools, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Aotea

Rental properties in Aotea must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended 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) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Aotea

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Aotea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to allow the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Aotea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually not apparent that it could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Aotea

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Aotea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Aotea for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in an home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes 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 solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.