Healthy Homes Assessment Ahuriri

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess 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 about any work required. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

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 an Ahuriri rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on an Ahuriri rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Ahuriri, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Ahuriri rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

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 within Ahuriri rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Ahuriri Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ahuriri

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Ahuriri

Ahuriri rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ahuriri

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Ahuriri

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of 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, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Ahuriri Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

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

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ahuriri

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Ahuriri include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ahuriri for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has 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 a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.