Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

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 now have to make sure their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant 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 and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in 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 $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information 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 information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is important to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Tawa, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Tawa rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp house costs more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, like heat pumps, it may require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tawa

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Tawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make more easy for the home to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.