Healthy Homes Assessment Te Aro

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can 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 about any work which needs to be completed and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Te Aro, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improving the quality of Te Aro rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Te Aro rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Aro

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the home require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Te Aro

Rental properties in Te Aro need to have a stable heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to have the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Aro

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dried air can be much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Te Aro

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Te Aro Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

The areas of rental property that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Te Aro include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for during an home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.