Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Tawa, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Tawa rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts may lead to less temperature in homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Tawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, 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

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

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually not apparent that it can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.