Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The 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 new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. 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 of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to assess each of 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Tawa, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Tawa rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Tawa rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa should have a permanent heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making it easier to allow the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through The Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are many things to check during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.