Healthy Homes Assessment Bay View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Bay View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for 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 landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Bay View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Bay View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Bay View, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Bay View rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Bay View rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Bay View

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into the house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the home heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Bay View

Bay View rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it might just need some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Bay View

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Bay View

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes an easier task for the home to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Bay View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the apartment 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.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Bay View

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through The Healthy Homes Standards in Bay View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Bay View for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.