Healthy Homes Assessment Hataitai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Hataitai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to 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 assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work that needs to be completed, and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Hataitai, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Hataitai rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Hataitai rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Hataitai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hataitai

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out into your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Hataitai

Hataitai rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and 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 may be used to determine whether the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hataitai

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Hataitai

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to allow the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Hataitai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hataitai

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Hataitai include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hataitai for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient 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 the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home evaluation.