Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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 healthy homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate each of 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research indicates that rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Breaker Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping for Breaker Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house require to be sealed. 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 such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it could need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

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

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from getting 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 Breaker Bay

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house evaluation.