Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

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

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

We will evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed and offer 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 breach in 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 $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to remember that a landlord who own several rental properties can face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have a house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the quality of Breaker Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Breaker Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Breaker Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out into your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it needs to have a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it could need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside and remain at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Breaker Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation meets this new quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes much easier to the home to hold heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

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

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

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

Rental property areas affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

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

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.