Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Te Awa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Te Awa, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the quality of Te Awa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Te Awa rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Te Awa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awa

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Awa

Te Awa rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Awa

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air will be more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Te Awa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Awa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Awa

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.