Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Te Mata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in 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 healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Te Mata, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Te Mata rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Te Mata rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Te Mata

Rental properties in Te Mata need to have a stable heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature 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) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must include an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Mata

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Mata

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to allow the house to retain warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Mata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata

Property rental areas that are affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Mata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property home assessment.