Healthy Homes Assessment Korokoro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Korokoro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals 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 evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of 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 $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Korokoro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Korokoro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Korokoro, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Korokoro rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Korokoro rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Korokoro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Korokoro

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Korokoro

Rental properties in Korokoro need to have a stable heating source that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it may need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Korokoro

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that dry air is easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Korokoro

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

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

Korokoro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Korokoro

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Korokoro include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Korokoro for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home evaluation.