Healthy Homes Assessment Tamatea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

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

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Tamatea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person renting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Tamatea, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Tamatea rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in 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-stopping for Tamatea rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Tamatea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Tamatea

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A humid house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched 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 may be required to allow movement of the structure as the household warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Tamatea

Tamatea rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it may require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Tamatea

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dry air will be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

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

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Tamatea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to allow the home to retain the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists 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 remainder of the 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Tamatea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Tamatea

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Tamatea include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Tamatea for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

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