Healthy Homes Assessment Ōtāne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Ōtāne rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be done and offer the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Ōtāne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Ōtāne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request an home inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Ōtāne rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Get started now and contact us about the Ōtāne Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ōtāne

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Ōtāne

Ōtāne rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it could need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Ōtāne

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Ōtāne

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy for the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Ōtāne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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 Ōtāne

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Ōtāne include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ōtāne for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.