Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under 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 $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine 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 landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

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

It is also crucial to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Te Aro rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Te Aro rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A cold home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from your house require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Te Aro

Rental properties in Te Aro should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it may need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Aro

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Te Aro

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to the household to retain heat.

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

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.