Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata Hills

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Te Mata Hills rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 about any tasks that requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully qualified for each of 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Te Mata Hills, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Te Mata Hills rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Te Mata Hills rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Te Mata Hills Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata Hills

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Te Mata Hills

Rental properties in Te Mata Hills need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Mata Hills

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

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Te Mata Hills

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

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

Te Mata Hills Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata Hills

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata Hills for Rental Properties

There are many things to check when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today and book your rental properties home assessment.