Healthy Homes Assessment Akina

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Akina rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Akina rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Akina, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Akina rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Akina rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Akina Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Akina

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Akina

Akina rental properties should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it may require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Akina

Each living space within a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

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

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that 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 warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Akina

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure 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 require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Akina Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Akina

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Akina include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Akina for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.