Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Harbour View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully 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 can evaluate the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work required. needs to be done, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes related fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Harbour View, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Harbour View rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Harbour View rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room 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 and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Harbour View

Each living space within the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air is much easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Harbour View

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to allow the house to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

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

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is typically what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the 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 with the Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are many things to check in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.