Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and provide a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a 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.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. 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 Breaker Bay, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Breaker Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties must have a fixed heating source which can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump it should include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it may require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in the rental property should have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

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

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Breaker Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to allow the home to retain the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.