Healthy Homes Assessment Oriental 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? The landlords are now required to ensure their Oriental Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with 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 in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on an Oriental Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and request an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Oriental Bay, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who experience at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Oriental Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Oriental Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Oriental Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Oriental Bay

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check all doors and windows as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Oriental Bay

Rental properties in Oriental Bay need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must include the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Oriental Bay

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Oriental Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and it will make much easier to the home to retain warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Oriental Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and also stop it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Oriental Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Oriental Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Oriental Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over during the home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.