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 are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate both 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 contract is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy 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 by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and request a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Houghton Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into your house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Houghton Bay

Rental properties in Houghton Bay should have a permanent heating source that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Every living space of a rental home must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Houghton Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Houghton Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted to Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Houghton Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.