Healthy Homes Assessment Taita

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Taita rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed and provide a report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Taita, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Taita rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Taita rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Taita Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Taita

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the house heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Taita

Taita rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the 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 well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine 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 portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it could need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Taita

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough 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 comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Taita

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes much easier for the home to hold the heat.

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

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Taita Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Taita

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Taita include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Taita for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.