Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure 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 fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects 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 of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements 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 as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside 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 done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Tawa, and research has shown that these rental houses are more 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 homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Tawa rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Tawa rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might just need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Tawa

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make more easy for the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 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 standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property house assessment.