Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Houghton Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be completely compliant 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 whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work required. needs to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is crucial to remember that landlords who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment performed on your rental property.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason 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 most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Houghton Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

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

Contact us now to discuss the Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the house warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Houghton Bay

Rental properties in Houghton Bay must have a fixed heating source that can heat the living space to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Each living space within a rental house must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Houghton Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness as well as making much easier to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet 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 high the R-value, better the insulation.

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

Learn more 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 what’s inside 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 concerns damp and moisture it is usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this 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 to The Healthy Homes Standards in Houghton Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over during the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.