Healthy Homes Assessment Lyall Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Lyall Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully 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 assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and provide a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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 $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified for 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 tenancy is signed for a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed inside of 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 finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Lyall Bay, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Lyall Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Lyall Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lyall Bay

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out of your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Lyall Bay

Rental properties in Lyall Bay must have a fixed heating source which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lyall Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability open to the outside, and stay closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Lyall Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure the insulation meets the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, as well as making more easy to the house to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Lyall Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue, causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of this 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 Standards in Lyall Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lyall Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during the house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.