Healthy Homes Assessment Oriental Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Oriental Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about 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 required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment done for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Oriental Bay, and research shows us that these rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Oriental Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping in Oriental Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Oriental Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it could require some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Oriental Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make it easier to allow the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Oriental Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.