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? Landlords now have to make sure that their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting 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 correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Tawa, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Tawa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in 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 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 lower temperatures in homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check every window and door during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If the living area already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tawa

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Tawa

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task to allow the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tawa

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.