Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awa

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? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Te Awa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for severe violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Te Awa, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Te Awa rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, 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, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Te Awa rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Te Awa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awa

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Te Awa

Rental properties in Te Awa should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it might need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Awa

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding how dry air will be much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Te Awa

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task for the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Awa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, 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.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the property. It also helps 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 Awa

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Awa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awa for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house assessment.