Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Te Aro 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 completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in 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 relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely qualified to assess 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional 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 who is responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is important to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Te Aro, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Te Aro rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Te Aro rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Te Aro

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

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

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Te Aro

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy for the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Te Aro include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.