Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Te Awa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations 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 complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate 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, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to remember that landlords who manage several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Te Awa, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Te Awa rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Te Awa rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Te Awa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awa

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of the house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Te Awa

Te Awa rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Awa

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Te Awa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the home to retain heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Awa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Awa

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Awa include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in a home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property house assessment.