Healthy Homes Assessment Island 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? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Island Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation 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 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully qualified to assess 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Island Bay, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Island Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Island Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can 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 coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the home require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Island Bay

Rental properties in Island Bay must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it may require some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Island Bay

Each liveable space in a rental home must include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

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

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Island Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the household to hold the heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

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

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently what you don’t see that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the structure. 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 to The Healthy Homes Standard in Island Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.