Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will 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 will advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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 $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully qualified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Breaker Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Breaker Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A cold house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out within the home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Rental properties in Breaker Bay should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a central heating source such as the heat pump, it might just require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising that dried air can be less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus are not require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Breaker Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make much easier to allow the house to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring 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 typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.