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? Landlords must ensure their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done and offer a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Breaker Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A cold house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can warm the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living room to at least 18degC, 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 well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Breaker Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure the insulation meets this new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the home to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

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

• Zone 1 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting a home review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• 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 getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today and book your rental property house assessment.