Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

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

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Harbour View, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported at least four key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Harbour View rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Harbour View rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Harbour View Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A cold house costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can create draughts. This should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the house heats and cools, so that they can still be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Harbour View

Harbour View rental properties require a reliable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just require an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space in a rental house must include at least one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air will be much easier to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Harbour View

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task to allow the home to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a 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 the ingress of moisture, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Harbour View

Property rental areas that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over during an home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.