Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure 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 fully conforming by the 1st 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 whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with 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 $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re fully certified to assess 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice 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 false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and request a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Harbour View, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Harbour View rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping in Harbour View rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A cold home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the house need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the home heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Harbour View

Harbour View rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the largest or main 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 as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it could need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly 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 are not considered liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Harbour View

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to allow the household to hold heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your 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 Harbour View

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and 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 the draught is stopped?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist guidance, contact us today and book your rental property house assessment.