Healthy Homes Assessment Totara Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure their Totara Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations 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 complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed lease is entered into on the Totara Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Totara Park, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Totara Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping in Totara Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Totara Park

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Totara Park

Rental properties in Totara Park need to have a stable heating source which can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need 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 costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Totara Park

Every living space in the rental property should include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air is easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Totara Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes an easier task to allow the house to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 standard.

Totara Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Totara Park

Rental property areas affected with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Totara Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Totara Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house assessment.