Healthy Homes Assessment Te Marua

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Te Marua rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Te Marua rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Te Marua, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Te Marua rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Te Marua rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Te Marua Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Te Marua

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home costs more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being homes

Heating Te Marua

Rental properties in Te Marua should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might require a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Te Marua

Each living space within a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Te Marua

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to the household to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Te Marua Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Te Marua

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Te Marua include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Te Marua for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum 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?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property house assessment.