Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Houghton Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified to assess both 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 have to be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Houghton Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of health issues. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Houghton Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs 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 crack or a gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the house heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors in 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 Houghton Bay

Houghton Bay rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended 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 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it could require an upgrade to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Houghton Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to the house to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Houghton Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Houghton Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.