Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 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 to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully qualified 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Tawa, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Tawa rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Tawa rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all windows and doors as part of the 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 to ensure well-being homes

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like an air conditioner, it could require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs at least open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Tawa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make much easier for the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Tawa include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home evaluation.