Healthy Homes Assessment Oriental Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Oriental Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. needs to be completed and provide the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under 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 healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate 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, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Oriental Bay, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who have reported four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Oriental Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Oriental Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Oriental Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap, then it is likely to be a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

There is no need to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay rental properties require a reliable source of heating that is able to heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

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

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Oriental Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• 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 this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often not apparent that it can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Oriental Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.