Healthy Homes Assessment Oriental Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required to 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 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 will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and offer the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified to assess 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, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is crucial to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on 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 indicates that rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Oriental Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Oriental Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out into your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever 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 required to allow for movement within the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. 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.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Oriental Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets current standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes an easier task to the house to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

Property rental areas that are affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Oriental Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to book your rental property home evaluation.