Healthy Homes Assessment Raureka

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? Landlords are now required to make sure their Raureka rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in 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 assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with 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 healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate both 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 contract is signed on a Raureka rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Raureka, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Raureka rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Raureka rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Raureka Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Raureka

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within your home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the house heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Raureka

Rental properties in Raureka should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Raureka

Each living space within a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Raureka

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier for the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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 standard.

Raureka Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Raureka

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Raureka include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Raureka for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties house assessment.