Healthy Homes Assessment Karamu

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 their Karamu 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 by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Karamu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Karamu rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out 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 agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Karamu, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Karamu rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Karamu rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Karamu

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the home heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Karamu

Karamu rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to have the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as heat pumps, it could require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Karamu

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Karamu

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Karamu Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Karamu

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Karamu include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Karamu for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home assessment.