Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

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 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 are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of 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 healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, as well as fully certified for each of 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more 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 compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Harbour View, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Harbour View rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Harbour View rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Harbour View Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in homes. A draughty house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your house require seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View must have a fixed heating source which can warm the living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like the heat pump, it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space of a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Harbour View

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation meets the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to the house to retain heat.

Insulation needs 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 the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Harbour View

Property rental areas that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

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

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental property home assessment.