Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

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? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully qualified 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Aro rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Te Aro rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes 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 is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Aro

Every living space of a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air is easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Te Aro

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and also makes more easy for the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering 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

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.