Healthy Homes Assessment Island Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Island Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be finished by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is important to be aware that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent homes in New Zealand and Island Bay, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Island Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in 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 within Island Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Island Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in households. A humid home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap and you are able to feel it, it’s likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your home require the sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the building as the home warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check the windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Island Bay

Rental properties in Island Bay need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Island Bay

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is much easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside, and stay closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Island Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the 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, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

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

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Island Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Island Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over during the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.