Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 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 renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely 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 assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information 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 breach in 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 healthier homes connected fines.

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

Since the 1st July of 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 inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on 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 houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Te Aro rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Te Aro rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties must have a fixed source of heat that is able to 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 recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Aro

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Te Aro

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs 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 greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to the Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

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