Healthy Homes Assessment Lyall Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified to evaluate 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 brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Lyall Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be taken care of within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Lyall Bay, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Lyall Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Lyall Bay rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Lyall Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Lyall Bay

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out into the house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps 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 when the household heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being houses

Heating Lyall Bay

Lyall Bay rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (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. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source such as a heat pump, then it might need some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Lyall Bay

Every living space of a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening door or window.

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Lyall Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier for the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Lyall Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Lyall Bay

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Lyall Bay include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Lyall Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.