Healthy Homes Assessment Timberlea

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Timberlea rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to 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 your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work which requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the necessary information 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 violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Timberlea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Timberlea rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Timberlea, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Timberlea rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Begin now by calling about having a Timberlea Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Timberlea

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out of your house need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the household heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Timberlea

Rental properties in Timberlea require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

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

If the living area already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might just need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Timberlea

Each liveable space in a rental home must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs at least of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Timberlea

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to allow the home to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Timberlea Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground 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 to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Timberlea

Rental property areas affected through the Healthy Homes Standards in Timberlea include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Timberlea for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine during an house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.