Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

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? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Tawa, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Tawa rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

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 on Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested 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) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Tawa

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or the skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make much easier for the house to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

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

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Tawa

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.