Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

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 ensure that their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide a report with 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate both 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to be aware that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

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

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Tawa rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your 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 accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay closed to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to the household to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand 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 – 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the 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 Tawa

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.