Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker 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 are now required to make sure that their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that needs to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re fully qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to remember that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with massive fines as well as still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Breaker Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Breaker Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

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 or crack, then it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the household is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for well-being houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion 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 pump, it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it may require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs at least of opening to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the home to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.