Healthy Homes Assessment Lyall Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Lyall Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks which requirements to be completed, and provide the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate each of 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to note that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Lyall Bay, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Lyall Bay rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Lyall Bay rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Lyall Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lyall Bay

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A damp house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap that is, it is most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the house require seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being homes

Heating Lyall Bay

Rental properties in Lyall Bay should have a permanent heating source which can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as a heat pump, then it could require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Lyall Bay

Every living space of a rental property must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and therefore do not require an opening window or door.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal home

Insulation Lyall Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make much easier for the house to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Lyall Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an 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 the floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lyall Bay

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standards in Lyall Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lyall Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.