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 must ensure 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 are required to be fully 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 assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with 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 completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate both 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of 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 rent homes in New Zealand and Tawa, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air is easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or Skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outdoors. Our 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.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Tawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make it easier to the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental properties house evaluation.