Healthy Homes Assessment Island 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 that their Island Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in 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 of any work required. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to assess 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Island Bay, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Island Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Island Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Island Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap, then it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent 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 required to allow for movement within the building as the home warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all doors and windows as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Island Bay

Island Bay rental properties should have a permanent heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must have a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Island Bay

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air is less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Island Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make more easy to allow the home to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture 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 from the ground from entering the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Island Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Island Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.