Healthy Homes Assessment Hataitai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Hataitai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks required. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Hataitai, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Hataitai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Hataitai rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Hataitai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hataitai

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate 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 from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Hataitai

Rental properties in Hataitai should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hataitai

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay closed to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Hataitai

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to allow the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hataitai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water 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, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hataitai

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Hataitai include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hataitai for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in the house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• 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 the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property house evaluation.