Healthy Homes Assessment Hataitai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Hataitai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Hataitai, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Hataitai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance 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 in Hataitai rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hataitai

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

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

Heating Hataitai

Rental properties in Hataitai need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, 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 as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Hataitai

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Hataitai

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier to the home to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Hataitai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hataitai

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Hataitai include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hataitai for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties home assessment.