Healthy Homes Assessment Bay View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Bay View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed 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 in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

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

Call Now 0800 232 113

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Bay View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have an house inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Bay View, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the quality of Bay View rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Bay View rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Bay View Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Bay View

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy houses

Heating Bay View

Bay View rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to include an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it could require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Bay View

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The 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 of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Bay View

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Bay View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 Bay View

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Bay View include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Bay View for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.