Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awanga

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 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 the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be done and provide the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Te Awanga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Awanga rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Te Awanga, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Te Awanga rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of 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, and Draught-stopping in Te Awanga rental properties.

Begin now by calling 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 lower temperatures in homes. A cold home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Te Awanga

Rental properties in Te Awanga must have a fixed heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should include an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Awanga

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Te Awanga

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier for the household to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Te Awanga Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Awanga

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Te Awanga include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awanga for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting the house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.