Healthy Homes Assessment Takapuwahia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Takapuwahia 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of 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 associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Takapuwahia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Takapuwahia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Takapuwahia, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Takapuwahia rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Takapuwahia rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Takapuwahia Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Takapuwahia

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Takapuwahia

Rental properties in Takapuwahia should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the 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 as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Takapuwahia

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living 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 house is an ideal house

Insulation Takapuwahia

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make it easier to the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Takapuwahia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Takapuwahia

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

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Takapuwahia for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.