Healthy Homes Assessment Hataitai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Hataitai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Hataitai, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Hataitai rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Hataitai rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Hataitai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hataitai

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building as the home heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows during your 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 healthy houses

Heating Hataitai

Hataitai rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to have a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it may require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hataitai

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air will be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Hataitai

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make it easier to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hataitai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hataitai

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Hataitai include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hataitai for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.