Healthy Homes Assessment Akina

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Akina rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of 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 associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Akina rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on an Akina rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Akina, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Akina rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Akina rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Akina Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Akina

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole that is, it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Akina

Akina rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must include an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Akina

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Akina

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Akina Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Akina

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Akina for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check during the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.