Healthy Homes Assessment Lyall Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Lyall Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant 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 satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified 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, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Lyall Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Lyall Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Lyall Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Lyall Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lyall Bay

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

There is no require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will check all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Lyall Bay

Rental properties in Lyall Bay require a reliable source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it may need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lyall Bay

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

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

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Lyall Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to the house to retain heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Lyall Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that 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 the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lyall Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in an home assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental property house assessment.