Healthy Homes Assessment Tomoana

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Tomoana rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Tomoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Tomoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Tomoana, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Tomoana rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Tomoana rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Tomoana Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tomoana

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from your home require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Tomoana

Rental properties in Tomoana should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Tomoana

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Tomoana

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make much easier for the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand 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 remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor 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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Tomoana Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside 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 stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tomoana

Property rental areas that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Tomoana include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tomoana for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in the house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.