Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified for 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract 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 new or renewed lease is entered into on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Breaker Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping in Breaker Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Every living space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure the insulation meets current quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making it easier for the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor 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 water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

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

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor 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 through the Healthy Homes Standard 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 you should look for when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.