Healthy Homes Assessment Totara Park

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 are now required to make sure that their Totara Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be done and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to assess 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate 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 leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Totara Park, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Totara Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Totara Park rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Totara Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Totara Park

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

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Totara Park

Rental properties in Totara Park require a reliable source of heat which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Totara Park

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air is easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements at least to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Totara Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier for the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

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

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

Totara Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Totara Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standard in Totara Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Totara Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and 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 getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house assessment.