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 their Breaker Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work required. requirements to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

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

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the quality of Breaker Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Breaker Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Breaker Bay

Breaker Bay rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Each living space within a rental property must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Breaker Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to allow the household to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Breaker Bay

Property rental areas that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard 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 things to check when conducting the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.