Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must be completely compliant 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 and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely qualified to evaluate 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Breaker Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be 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 today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from your house require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will check the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one openable window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that dried air can be less difficult to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task to allow the house to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.