Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awanga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Te Awanga 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 fully compliant 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 to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. needs to be done and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Awanga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Te Awanga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Te Awanga, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Te Awanga rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Te Awanga rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Te Awanga Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awanga

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Te Awanga

Te Awanga rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during 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 outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source like the heat pump, it could need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Awanga

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Te Awanga

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier for the home to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Awanga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Te Awanga

The areas of rental property that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Awanga include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awanga for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.