Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide the report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

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

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Breaker Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Breaker Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within households. A damp house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out into your house require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Rental properties in Breaker Bay need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most 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 outlook.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to have an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it could need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able open to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Breaker Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and 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 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

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

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the building. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the 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 the Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during the house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.