Healthy Homes Assessment Houghton Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Houghton Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified 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 to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified to assess both 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 tenancy is signed on a Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Houghton Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Houghton Bay, and research shows us that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who report four or more major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Houghton Bay rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping within Houghton Bay rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Houghton Bay

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A humid home is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or a clear draught out of a hole or gap or crack, then it’s most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out of your home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test all windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Houghton Bay

Houghton Bay rental properties need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must include a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Houghton Bay

Each liveable space in a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising that dried air can be easier to heat and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will require proper extractor fan systems that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Houghton Bay

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and it will make an easier task to allow the home to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Houghton Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the inside it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

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

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between the floor and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing 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 Houghton Bay

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

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Houghton Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to be able to examine in a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties house assessment.