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 that their Oriental Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on the Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

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

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Oriental Bay, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Oriental Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Oriental Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Oriental Bay

Rental properties in Oriental Bay need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, 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 and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Oriental Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement to all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making much easier to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists 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 area 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 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause damages to your investment and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental properties house assessment.