Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Houghton Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Houghton Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Houghton Bay

Rental properties in Houghton Bay need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

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

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high 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 for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy for the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 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 the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s often not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists 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 Houghton Bay

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Houghton Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• 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 the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.