Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to ensure 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 rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess the rental property you have in order to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and are completely qualified for both 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, 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 correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Harbour View, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Harbour View rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A draughty home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View require a reliable heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it might just need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Harbour View

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the home to keep warmth.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more efficient the insulation.

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Harbour View

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimum 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?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties home assessment.