Healthy Homes Assessment Tomoana

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 their Tomoana rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects 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 meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to assess 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 on a Tomoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Tomoana rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Tomoana, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Tomoana rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance 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 within Tomoana rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Tomoana Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tomoana

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within the house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Tomoana

Tomoana rental properties should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tomoana

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Tomoana

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier for the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Tomoana Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also assists 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 Tomoana

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Tomoana include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tomoana for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties home assessment.