Healthy Homes Assessment Awatoto

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Awatoto rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be done and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Awatoto rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Awatoto rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to remember that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Awatoto, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Awatoto rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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 on Awatoto rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Awatoto Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Awatoto

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Awatoto

Awatoto rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Awatoto

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Awatoto

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task for the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Awatoto Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Awatoto

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Awatoto include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Awatoto for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home evaluation.