Healthy Homes Assessment Te Hauke

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Te Hauke rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Te Hauke rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Te Hauke, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Te Hauke rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Te Hauke rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Te Hauke Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Hauke

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap that is, it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Te Hauke

Te Hauke rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Hauke

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Te Hauke

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make an easier task to the house to keep 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 is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Hauke Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Hauke

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Te Hauke include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Hauke for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in an house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house 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 the Tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home evaluation.