Healthy Homes Assessment Taita

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Taita rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Taita, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Taita rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Taita rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Taita Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Taita

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever possible.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Taita

Rental properties in Taita require a reliable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Taita

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Taita

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to the home to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Taita Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Taita

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Taita include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Taita for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.