Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 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 whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in 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 relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to assess 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 new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or 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 hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, 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.

Improve the standard of Te Aro rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Te Aro rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can heat the living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Aro

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dried air can be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The 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.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Te Aro

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make more easy for the home to hold the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.