Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Te Mata rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified 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 tenancy is signed on a Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $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 resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Te Mata, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Te Mata rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Te Mata rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Te Mata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A humid house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Mata

Te Mata rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Mata

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Te Mata

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the 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 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 standard.

Te Mata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Mata include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine during the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.