Healthy Homes Assessment Lyall 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? Landlords now have to ensure their Lyall Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be done and provide a report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully certified for each of 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, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house inspection performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Lyall Bay, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who have reported at least four major issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Lyall Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

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

Start now and call about the Lyall Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lyall Bay

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Lyall Bay

Lyall Bay rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Lyall Bay

Every living space of the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Lyall Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and also makes it easier to the house to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Lyall Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lyall Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standard in Lyall Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lyall Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to book your rental properties house assessment.