Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that 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 any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed and offer 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 breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a 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.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Breaker Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as 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 lower temperatures in houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap, then it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it may need an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Every living space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising how dry air is more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus do not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes it easier for the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is usually what you don’t see that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists 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 with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during an home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental property house assessment.