Healthy Homes Assessment Ōtāne

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure 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 rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Ōtāne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Ōtāne rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Ōtāne, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the standard of Ōtāne rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs 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 Ōtāne rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Ōtāne Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ōtāne

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Ōtāne

Ōtāne rental properties need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Ōtāne

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

A ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Ōtāne

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes it easier to the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Ōtāne Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually not apparent that it could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ōtāne

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Ōtāne include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ōtāne for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.