Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata Hills

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Te Mata Hills rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified for each of 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or 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 name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Te Mata Hills, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Te Mata Hills rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Te Mata Hills rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Te Mata Hills Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata Hills

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Mata Hills

Rental properties in Te Mata Hills must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Te Mata Hills

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Te Mata Hills

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy for the household to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Mata Hills Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property 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 or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata Hills

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Mata Hills include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata Hills for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.