Healthy Homes Assessment Titahi Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Titahi Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Titahi Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Titahi Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Titahi Bay, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Titahi Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over 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 Draught-stopping on Titahi Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Titahi Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Titahi Bay

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Titahi Bay

Rental properties in Titahi Bay should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it might require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Titahi Bay

Every living space of a rental house must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Titahi Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Titahi Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Titahi Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standard in Titahi Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Titahi Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house assessment.