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? Landlords now have to ensure that 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 are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely 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 an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Island Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

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

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Island Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t require 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 when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Island Bay

Rental properties in Island Bay need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is 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), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the 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 will be required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

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

Ventilation Island Bay

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require adequate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Island Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to allow the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire 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

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Island Bay

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Island Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.