Healthy Homes Assessment Te Awa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Te Awa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals 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 will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which requirements to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Te Awa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Te Awa, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Te Awa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control for Te Awa rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Te Awa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Awa

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from the home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Te Awa

Rental properties in Te Awa require a reliable source of heating that can heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, then it must have 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 or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it may need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Te Awa

Every living space of a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, but remain 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 home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Te Awa

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to allow the home to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Te Awa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

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 structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Awa

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Te Awa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Awa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground 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 has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.