Healthy Homes Assessment Hawkes Bay

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? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Hawkes Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Hawkes Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Hawkes Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to note that a landlord who have several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Hawkes Bay, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Hawkes Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Hawkes Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Hawkes Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hawkes Bay

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely a crack or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Hawkes Bay

Rental properties in Hawkes Bay require a reliable source of heating which can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Hawkes Bay

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to be able open to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Hawkes Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to allow the home to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 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 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Hawkes Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hawkes Bay

Property rental areas that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Hawkes Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hawkes Bay for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for during the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property home assessment.