Healthy Homes Assessment Takapuwahia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Takapuwahia rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6793

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Takapuwahia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Takapuwahia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Takapuwahia, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Takapuwahia rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Takapuwahia rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Takapuwahia Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Takapuwahia

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the household is heated and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Takapuwahia

Rental properties in Takapuwahia should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Takapuwahia

Every living space of a rental home must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Takapuwahia

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

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making more easy for the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Takapuwahia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Takapuwahia

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Takapuwahia include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Takapuwahia for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.