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 effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Hawkes Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Hawkes Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Hawkes Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Hawkes Bay, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Hawkes Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Hawkes Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Hawkes Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Hawkes Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your house need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent imaginable.

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

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Hawkes Bay

Hawkes Bay rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on 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 wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Hawkes Bay

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air will be much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Hawkes Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• 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 and 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 standard.

Hawkes Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Hawkes Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Hawkes Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Hawkes Bay for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.