Healthy Homes Assessment Te Hauke

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Te Hauke rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and request an house assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Te Hauke, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Te Hauke rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Te Hauke rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Hauke

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Te Hauke

Rental properties in Te Hauke require a reliable heating source 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 temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, 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 the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Hauke

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air is easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Te Hauke

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to allow the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the quality of 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Hauke Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Hauke

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Te Hauke include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Hauke for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.