Healthy Homes Assessment Te Marua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified for both 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s important to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Te Marua, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Marua rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Te Marua rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Te Marua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Marua

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Marua

Rental properties in Te Marua should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Marua

Every living space of the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or the skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Te Marua

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier for the home to hold heat.

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

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

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

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

Te Marua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about 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 to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Marua

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Te Marua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Marua for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• 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 getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.