Healthy Homes Assessment Taita

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 now have to make sure their Taita rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st 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 and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Taita, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Taita rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Taita rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Taita Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Taita

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the house warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Taita

Taita rental properties should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. 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. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Taita

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air will be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly 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 hallway are not considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Taita

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task for the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Taita Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Taita

Rental property areas affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Taita include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Taita for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check when conducting an house review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.