Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

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

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also important to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Tawa, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, 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 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it must include a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it could require a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes more easy to the home to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

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

Check out the complete 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 Standard in Tawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.