Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by 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 standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified for each of 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 contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Breaker Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Breaker Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about receiving a Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A cold home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out from your house need the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy houses

Heating Breaker Bay

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

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as an air conditioner, it might require a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Breaker Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making it easier to the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker 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 but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The 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 to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check during an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental property house evaluation.