Healthy Homes Assessment Te Marua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Te Marua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and offer a report with all the details required to complete 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 landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified for 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Te Marua, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Te Marua rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Te Marua rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Marua

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out into your home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the building as the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Marua

Rental properties in Te Marua must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, 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 well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Marua

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Te Marua

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to allow the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Marua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Marua

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Marua include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Marua for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home assessment.