Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata Hills

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Te Mata Hills rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed 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 your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Te Mata Hills, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Te Mata Hills rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Te Mata Hills rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata Hills

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of the house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the household warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Te Mata Hills

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

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Mata Hills

Every living space of a rental home must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Te Mata Hills

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to the house to retain the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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.

Te Mata Hills Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata Hills

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Te Mata Hills include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata Hills for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.