Healthy Homes Assessment Te Hauke

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? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Te Hauke rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations 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 connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 856 525

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Te Hauke, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Te Hauke rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Te Hauke rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Te Hauke Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Hauke

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Te Hauke

Te Hauke rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Hauke

Every living space of a rental property must include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

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

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Te Hauke

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make much easier for the household to hold heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

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

Te Hauke Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Hauke

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standards in Te Hauke include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Hauke for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.