Healthy Homes Assessment Tamatea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Tamatea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess each of 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Tamatea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Tamatea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Tamatea, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the quality of Tamatea rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Tamatea rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tamatea

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Tamatea

Tamatea rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can heat the living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tamatea

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

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

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Tamatea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make more easy for the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 below floor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tamatea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able 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 an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tamatea

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Tamatea include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tamatea for Rental Properties

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

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.