Healthy Homes Assessment Te Marua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Te Marua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant 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 determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Te Marua, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Te Marua rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping for Te Marua rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Te Marua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Marua

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Te Marua

Te Marua rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a central heating source like a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Te Marua

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Marua

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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

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

Te Marua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also 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 ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Marua

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Marua include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Marua for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.