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 effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Te Aro rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must 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 evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully 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 tenancy is signed on a Te Aro rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure 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 the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

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

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Te Aro, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Te Aro rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and 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 increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A cold house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important for healthy homes

Heating Te Aro

Te Aro rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Te Aro

Each liveable space in a rental house must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, and stay closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This 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 in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Te Aro

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to allow the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often not apparent that it could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Aro

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Aro include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Aro for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.