Healthy Homes Assessment Tawa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Tawa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified for each of 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a 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 expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Tawa, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Tawa rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping within Tawa rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Tawa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A draughty house costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within the home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the building when the house heats and cools, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Tawa

Rental properties in Tawa should have a permanent heating source which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Tawa

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Tawa

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to the home to hold warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

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

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

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

A ground moisture barrier is usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this 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 to The Healthy Homes Standards in Tawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.