Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Te Awa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas 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’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and 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 up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Te Awa, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Awa rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Te Awa rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Te Awa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awa

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure as the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Te Awa

Rental properties in Te Awa need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it could need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Awa

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air is more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Te Awa

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier for the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist 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 remainder part of 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, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Awa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Awa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Awa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awa for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for in the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.