Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton 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 of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Houghton 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 compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Houghton Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Houghton Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Houghton Bay

Houghton Bay rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to include a thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least open to the outside while remaining at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Houghton Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to allow the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically not apparent that it could be a huge problem that can cause the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from entering the structure. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Houghton Bay

Rental property areas affected through The Healthy Homes Standards in Houghton Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.