Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 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 requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in 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 $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Tawa, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Tawa rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Tawa rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it might need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Tawa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Property rental areas that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Tawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties house evaluation.