Healthy Homes Assessment Totara Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Totara Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess 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 of the work which needs to be done, and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new 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 building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Totara Park, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Totara Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Totara Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Totara Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Totara Park

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A damp house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of your home need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Totara Park

Rental properties in Totara Park should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it could need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Totara Park

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air will be less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Totara Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier for the home to keep warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 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 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 quality.

Totara Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure 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 not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Totara Park

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Totara Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Totara Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during a house review to determine if 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 waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.