Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure their Harbour View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals 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 will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to evaluate each of 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 new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may 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 reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Harbour View, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Harbour View rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping on Harbour View rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Harbour View Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Harbour View

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Harbour View

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making it easier for the home to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements 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 withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 all of the 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 moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Harbour View

Property rental areas that are affected by The Healthy Homes Standard in Harbour View include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.