Healthy Homes Assessment Harbour View

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Harbour View rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes related fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Harbour View rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may 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 building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is important to remember that landlords with several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an home assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Harbour View, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the quality of Harbour View rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Harbour View rental properties.

Start now and call about the Harbour View Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Harbour View

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

There is no require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test every window and door in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Harbour View

Rental properties in Harbour View should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it could need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Harbour View

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus do not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your home with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Harbour View

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement for all rent houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes it easier for the home to keep heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for 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 better the insulation.

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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Harbour View Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically what you don’t see that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Harbour View

Property rental areas that are affected to Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Harbour View include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Harbour View for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.