Healthy Homes Assessment Oriental Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Oriental Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Oriental Bay, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Oriental Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit into the home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Oriental Bay

Rental properties in Oriental Bay should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Oriental Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier to the household to hold the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a 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 has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Oriental Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in an house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call today and book your rental property home evaluation.