Tamati's tenants are on a fixed-term agreement that ends in November. His tenants have said that they’re not likely to continue in the tenancy after November as they’re moving to a new city. While it’s not official yet, Tamati wants to make sure he’s prepared in case he needs to get in new tenants.
Tamati is aware of the healthy homes standards and knows he doesn’t yet need to comply with the standards for this tenancy because landlords only need to comply within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy between 1 July 2021 and 27 August 2022. If after the expiry of the fixed-term tenancy in November 2021, he starts a new tenancy, or the fixed term is renewed with the existing tenants, then he must comply with all of the healthy homes standards within 90 days.
Tamati would like to be prepared so he makes a plan to comply. He checks the healthy homes standards guidance(external link) to understand his legal responsibilities to meet each of the five standards by the required deadline. He also sees that he needs to include a healthy homes compliance statement in the new tenancy agreement.
Tamati gives his tenants at least 24 hours' notice that he’ll be entering the property so that he can assess it and identify what needs to be done to prepare for compliance.
He notes that the draught stopping and moisture ingress and drainage requirements at the property has been met. However, it needs qualifying heating sources in the main living areas and a top-up in the insulation to meet the resistance value (R-value) requirement for the region. He also needs to install an extractor fan that ventilates to the outside in the kitchen and bathroom.
He wants to plan for the healthy homes standards and get it done early in case there are any unexpected delays.
He makes the following plan:
- August 2021 - Find a qualified electrician on the Electrical Workers Registration Board(external link)(external link) to install the extractor fans when the tenants are at work (after giving tenants the correct notice)
- August 2021 - Book insulation top-up with an experienced, qualified installer that he found on theInsulation Association of NZ. (external link)(external link)
- September 2021 - Use the Tenancy Services Heating Assessment(external link)(external link) tool to determine what heating capacity is required for the main living area then research available heating sources to meet requirements.
- October 2021 - Buy qualifying heater that meets the heating capacity requirements for the main living room and arrange installation.
- November 2021 - Insulation top-up installed (after giving tenants the correct notice).
Tamati makes sure he keeps the results from using the heating assessment tool, all the invoices and installation certificates of the new products so he can show he complies with the healthy homes standards whenever he may be asked about it.