Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata Hills

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Te Mata Hills rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. needs to be done, and provide a report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 856 525

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Te Mata Hills, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Mata Hills rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in 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, as well Draught Stopping in Te Mata Hills rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata Hills

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A cold home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into the house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Te Mata Hills

Rental properties in Te Mata Hills must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This makes 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 needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like heat pumps, it might require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Mata Hills

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Te Mata Hills

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Mata Hills Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and the 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 block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata Hills

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Te Mata Hills include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata Hills for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes 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 ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.