Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Te Mata 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 must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 365 444

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Te Mata rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

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

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Te Mata, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Te Mata rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Te Mata rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Te Mata Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

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

Heating Te Mata

Rental properties in Te Mata must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Mata

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Te Mata

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to the home to retain warmth.

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

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

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

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

Te Mata Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Mata include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.