Healthy Homes Assessment Taita

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Taita rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are 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, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Taita, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Taita rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Taita

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A cold home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being houses

Heating Taita

Taita rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Taita

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Taita

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make more easy to allow the household to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with 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 greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Taita Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Taita

Property rental areas that are affected with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Taita include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Taita for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for in an house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.