Healthy Homes Assessment Raureka

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Raureka 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 fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks which requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed 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 breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Raureka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Raureka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Raureka, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Raureka rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Raureka rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Raureka

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Raureka

Raureka rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to include an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Raureka

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

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

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least to open to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Raureka

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Raureka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Raureka

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Raureka include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Raureka for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.