Healthy Homes Assessment Island Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Island 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 must be fully in compliance by July 1st 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 check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified for 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

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

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Island Bay, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Island Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Island Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it is most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of the house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Island Bay

Island Bay rental properties must have a fixed source of heating which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should have a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Island Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Island Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making much easier for the home to keep the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is usually the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Island Bay

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Island Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check in a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.