Healthy Homes Assessment Titahi Bay

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? Landlords must ensure their Titahi Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Titahi Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Titahi Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Titahi Bay, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Titahi Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Begin now by calling about having a Titahi Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Titahi Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes 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 sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within the house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Titahi Bay

Titahi Bay rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Titahi Bay

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air is much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain closed to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Titahi Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to the house to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Titahi Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Titahi Bay

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Titahi Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Titahi Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.