Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Te Mata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Te Mata, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Te Mata rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Te Mata rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Te Mata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the home heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Te Mata

Rental properties in Te Mata require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Mata

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Te Mata

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Mata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check during the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house evaluation.