Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know 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 the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to assess 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person leasing 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 requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and request a house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Breaker Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Breaker Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your home need to be sealed. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Rental properties in Breaker Bay need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to have an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it could need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Breaker Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to the house to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists 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 – all of 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, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of 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 Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in an home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.