Healthy Homes Assessment Days Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Days Bay 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 completely conforming by the 1st 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 determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work required. requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties we are fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Days Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be completed within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on the Days Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. 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 Days Bay, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the homes of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Days Bay rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and living because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control on Days Bay rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Days Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Days Bay

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside houses. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it is probably a gap or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure as the household warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Days Bay

Rental properties in Days Bay should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Days Bay

Each living space within a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight needs to have the ability open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Days Bay

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task to allow the household to hold the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of 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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Days Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that 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 a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor 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 Days Bay

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Days Bay include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Days Bay for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.