Healthy Homes Assessment Taita

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Taita, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Taita rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Taita rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Taita Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Taita

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house warms and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Taita

Taita rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Taita

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Taita

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes it easier for the home to retain heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Taita Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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

Property rental areas that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Taita include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Taita for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during an house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.