Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 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 new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the 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. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house inspection performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Te Aro rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Te Aro rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

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

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test every window and door in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Te Aro

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

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

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Te Aro

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier for the household to retain warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor 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

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for during a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.