Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information required 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 violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord with several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to 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 take a chance with your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Breaker Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping in Breaker Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your home need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended 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), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dried air can be much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Breaker Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier for the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over when conducting an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• 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 falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties home assessment.