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 of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must 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 evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified to evaluate 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 new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request an house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Te Aro rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Te Aro rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Te Aro Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will inspect every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy houses

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors 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), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Te Aro

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. Our 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 high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Te Aro

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to 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 will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists 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 – all area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor 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

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home evaluation.