Healthy Homes Assessment Island 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 must ensure 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 are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely qualified for each of 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 or renewed contract is signed on an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord with several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Island Bay, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Island Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Island Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Island Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out within the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Island Bay

Rental properties in Island Bay need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it may require an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Island Bay

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Island Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making it easier for the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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, underfloor R 1.3

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

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Island Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Island Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for during a house evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.