Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified 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 to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully qualified to assess 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 new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Aro rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Te Aro rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A humid home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Aro

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air is less difficult to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Aro

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

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

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

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through The Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.