Healthy Homes Assessment Totara Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Totara Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Totara Park, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the quality of Totara Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Totara Park rental properties.

Start now and call about the Totara Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Totara Park

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Totara Park

Rental properties in Totara Park need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Totara Park

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Totara Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task for the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 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 - 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Totara Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in 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 quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Totara Park

The areas of rental property that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Totara Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Totara Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home assessment.