Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Tawa 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with 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 complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Tawa, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from your house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

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

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa need to have a stable heating source that can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could need an update 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 for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that dried air can be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make much easier for the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more efficient 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent 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

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property home evaluation.