Healthy Homes Assessment Lyall Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that 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 must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks which requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of 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 connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified for each of 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 contract is signed on a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to note that landlords who have several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

Around 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Lyall Bay, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Lyall Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Lyall Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Lyall Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lyall Bay

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into your house need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Lyall Bay

Rental properties in Lyall Bay must have a fixed heating source that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Lyall Bay

Each living space within a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Lyall Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is in line with standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make more easy to allow the home to retain heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 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

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including 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 buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lyall Bay

Property rental areas that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Lyall Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lyall Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous things you should look for when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental properties house evaluation.