Healthy Homes Assessment Te Marua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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 relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to 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 present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who have several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Te Marua, and research suggests that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Te Marua rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping on Te Marua rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Te Marua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Marua

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp house costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Te Marua

Rental properties in Te Marua must have a fixed heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Te Marua

Every living space in a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising that dried air can be much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Marua

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making an easier task to the home to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists 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 – the remainder 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 Marua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Marua

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Marua for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.