Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Houghton Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely certified to evaluate each of 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 tenancy is signed for a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

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

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home 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 in New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research has shown that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Houghton Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping in Houghton Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in our 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 healthy homes

Heating Houghton Bay

Rental properties in Houghton Bay should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation standard is about recognising how dried air can be less difficult to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Houghton Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to the house to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the 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 interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this 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 with Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Houghton Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental property house evaluation.