Healthy Homes Assessment Te Marua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Te Marua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with 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 violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified to assess 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 brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an home inspection performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Te Marua, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Te Marua rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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 Marua rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Marua

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the home warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Te Marua

Te Marua rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient 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 acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Marua

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Marua

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to allow the household to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Marua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Marua

Rental property areas affected through Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Marua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Marua for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home assessment.