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 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 completely 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 your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in 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.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are fully qualified to evaluate both 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, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 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 within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines 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 revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as 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 Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request an home assessment done for your rental property.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Harbour View, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Harbour View rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of the home need the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house is heated and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View should have a permanent source of heating which can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be much easier to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining closed to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Harbour View

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to allow the household to keep the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from rising into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the 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

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.