Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Houghton Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

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

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Houghton Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Houghton Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Houghton Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Houghton Bay

Rental properties in Houghton Bay need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the 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 small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Houghton Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, as well as making it easier to the household to retain warmth.

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

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 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor 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 to the Healthy Homes Standard in Houghton Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental property house assessment.