Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect 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 leasing the property out which could 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 before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Te Aro, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Aro rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Te Aro rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 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) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it may require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Te Aro

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This 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.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Te Aro

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to the household to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s 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 present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Te Aro include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.