Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton 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? The landlords are now required to make sure their Houghton 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Houghton Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control for Houghton Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the home need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Houghton Bay

Houghton Bay rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it may require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Each living space within a rental home must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Houghton Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, including 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 an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Houghton Bay

Property rental areas that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Houghton Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

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

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.