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 must make sure their Harbour View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property 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 offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a 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 responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in significant fines and 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 on your rental property.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent homes in New Zealand and Harbour View, and research suggests that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Harbour View rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Harbour View rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View should have a permanent source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living space to at least 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Harbour View

Each liveable space in a rental home must have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be less difficult to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Every window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Harbour View

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure the insulation meets the new standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task to allow the household to hold warmth.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist 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 area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a place to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of The 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 Standard in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine when conducting an home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough 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 the Healthy home that is in compliance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.