Healthy Homes Assessment Te Mata Hills

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Te Mata Hills rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Te Mata Hills rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request an house assessment performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Te Mata Hills, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who report at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Te Mata Hills rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Te Mata Hills rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Mata Hills

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will check every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Te Mata Hills

Te Mata Hills rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 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 and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current installed 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 small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, then it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it may require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Te Mata Hills

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Te Mata Hills

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and will also make much easier to the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Te Mata Hills Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap 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 generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Mata Hills

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Mata Hills include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Mata Hills for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.