Healthy Homes Assessment Bay View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Bay View 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 fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any work required. needs to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with 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 complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Bay View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be finished within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on the Bay View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it is finished.

It is important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more 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 wallet with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Bay View, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Bay View rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping for Bay View rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Bay View

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Bay View

Bay View rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 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 wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it requirements to include an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need an update to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Bay View

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will require appropriate extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Bay View

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Bay View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually not apparent that it could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the property. 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 quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Bay View

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Bay View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Bay View for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.