Healthy Homes Assessment Ōtāne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that 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 rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Ōtāne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Ōtāne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Ōtāne, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Ōtāne rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Ōtāne rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ōtāne

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Ōtāne

Ōtāne rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Ōtāne

Each living space within a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be more easy to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs to be able open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Ōtāne

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making more easy for the household to hold warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Ōtāne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ōtāne

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Ōtāne include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ōtāne for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.