Healthy Homes Assessment Island Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure that their Island Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely conforming by the 1st 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 and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of 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 up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are fully qualified to assess 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 or renewed tenancy is signed for an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe violations, and landlords who own more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Island Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Island Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Island Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Island Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Island Bay

Rental properties in Island Bay should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it may need some additional energy to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Island Bay

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising how dried air can be easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight requirements to be able of opening to the outside, but remain at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Island Bay

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making it easier to the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, better 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 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 the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is typically the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent 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 Island Bay

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Island Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during a house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.