Healthy Homes Assessment Akina

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 Akina rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’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 complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Akina rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

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

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Akina, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Akina rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Akina rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Akina

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the home need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the home heats 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 your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being houses

Heating Akina

Akina rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Akina

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

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

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Akina

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier for the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Akina Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property 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 as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Akina

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Akina include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Akina for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check during the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.