Healthy Homes Assessment Te Hauke

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? 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 your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 232 113

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Te Hauke, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Te Hauke rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in 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 within Te Hauke rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Te Hauke Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Hauke

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Hauke

Rental properties in Te Hauke must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Hauke

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising how dry air will be much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, and stay closed to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient 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 quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Hauke

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

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

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

Te Hauke Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Hauke

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Te Hauke include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Hauke for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.