Healthy Homes Assessment Oriental Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Oriental Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that needs to be done and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for 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 Oriental Bay, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the standard of Oriental Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Oriental Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Oriental Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block off holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows 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 than securing. We will examine the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

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

Heating Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it requirements to have an thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might just require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dried air can be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is a healthy house

Insulation Oriental Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to allow the home to retain warmth.

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

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

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

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often not apparent that it could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

Rental property areas affected by The Healthy Homes Standards in Oriental Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to look over in a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.