Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully 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 evaluate your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which requirements 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 meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to evaluate both 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person 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 Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Tawa, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the quality of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa should have a permanent heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Tawa

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy for the house to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient 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 and floor R 1.3
• 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 standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically 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 structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Tawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.