Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker 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? Landlords must ensure their Breaker 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 completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

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 reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Breaker Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Breaker Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about the Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within your house require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the home warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Rental properties in Breaker Bay require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to allow the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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 this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically not apparent that it can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor 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 by The Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.