Healthy Homes Assessment Breaker Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to 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 must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be completed, and offer the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Breaker Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for 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 inside of the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is important to remember that a landlord who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Breaker Bay, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Breaker Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping within Breaker Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Breaker Bay

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Breaker Bay

Rental properties in Breaker Bay must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the most 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 heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Breaker Bay

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about recognising how dried air can be more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or the skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Breaker Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Breaker Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the 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

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Breaker Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Breaker Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting a house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.