Healthy Homes Assessment Hataitai

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Hataitai rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to 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 your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that needs to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Hataitai rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Hataitai, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Hataitai rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Hataitai rental properties.

Start now and call about the Hataitai Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hataitai

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the house need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Hataitai

Rental properties in Hataitai require a reliable heating source which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Hataitai

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Hataitai

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and also makes more easy to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Hataitai Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

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

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

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hataitai

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Hataitai include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hataitai for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.