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 are now required to make sure their Taita 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 fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and provide 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 landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Taita rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Taita, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Enhancing the standard of Taita rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

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

Begin now by calling about receiving a Taita Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Taita

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Taita

Taita rental properties require a reliable heating source that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Taita

Every living space of a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Taita

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, 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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Taita Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the 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 Taita

Property rental areas that are affected to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Taita include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Taita for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.