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

The areas covered by 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. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of 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 as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Tawa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Tawa, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Tawa rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means 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 within Tawa rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tawa

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A damp house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out from the house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Tawa

Tawa rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tawa

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Tawa

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task for the household to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tawa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of 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 by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Tawa include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tawa for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.