Healthy Homes Assessment Tamatea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Tamatea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Tamatea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Tamatea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. 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 are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Tamatea, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Tamatea rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Tamatea rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Tamatea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tamatea

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that 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 within your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

There is no require to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Tamatea

Tamatea rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tamatea

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Tamatea

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make more easy for the home to keep warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tamatea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tamatea

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Tamatea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tamatea for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.