Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Harbour View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine if it meets 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 completed and offer a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate 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 tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s important to be aware that a landlord who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Harbour View, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Harbour View rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Harbour View rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Harbour View Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within the home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View require a reliable source of heating which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just need a top up in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dried air can be easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Harbour View

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task for the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and stop it from coming inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Harbour View

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.