Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

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 make sure that their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st 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 requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties we are 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Te Aro, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Te Aro rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Te Aro rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Aro

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

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Te Aro

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Te Aro

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy for the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• 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 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Te Aro include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• 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 a Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property house evaluation.