Healthy Homes Assessment Island Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that 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 must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess the rental property you have in order to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties and are completely certified to assess each of 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on an Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Island Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Island Bay, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Island Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Island Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Island Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Island Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement within the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Island Bay

Rental properties in Island Bay require a reliable heating source that can warm the largest or main living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it needs to include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Island Bay

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need adequate extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Island Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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

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

Island Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is usually what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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

The areas of rental property that are affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards 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 a variety of things you should look for in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.