Healthy Homes Assessment Timberlea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Timberlea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant 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 to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Timberlea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have 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 Timberlea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Timberlea, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Timberlea rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping on Timberlea rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Timberlea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Timberlea

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A draughty home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being homes

Heating Timberlea

Timberlea rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which 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 wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Timberlea

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

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

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Timberlea

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making it easier for the household to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Timberlea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Timberlea

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Timberlea for Rental Properties

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

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home assessment.