Healthy Homes Assessment Timberlea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Timberlea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with 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 breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Timberlea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Timberlea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one 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 a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Timberlea, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Timberlea rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control within Timberlea rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Timberlea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Timberlea

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in 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 important for well-being homes

Heating Timberlea

Timberlea rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to include a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Timberlea

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Timberlea

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task for the house to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Timberlea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if 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 rising into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Timberlea

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Timberlea include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Timberlea for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.