Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awanga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Te Awanga rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified 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 contract is signed on a Te Awanga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Te Awanga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Te Awanga, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Te Awanga rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Te Awanga rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awanga

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out within the house require to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

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

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Te Awanga

Te Awanga rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t 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 needs.

Ventilation Te Awanga

Every living space of a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least open to the outside, and stay closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Te Awanga

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make more easy to allow the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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 standard.

Te Awanga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Te Awanga

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Te Awanga include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awanga for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check during a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house assessment.