Healthy Homes Assessment Titahi Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Titahi Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Titahi Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Titahi Bay, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Titahi Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Titahi Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Titahi Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Titahi Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Titahi Bay

Rental properties in Titahi Bay must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Titahi Bay

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Titahi Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to allow the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Titahi Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Titahi Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Titahi Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Titahi Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

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