Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an home assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Tawa, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Tawa rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Tawa rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up 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 to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is frequently the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for in the house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.