Healthy Homes Assessment Days Bay

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Days Bay rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 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 whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes related fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Days Bay rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Days Bay, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report at least four key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Days Bay rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping on Days Bay rental properties.

Start now and call about the Days Bay Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Days Bay

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A humid home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from the home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Days Bay

Days Bay rental properties require a reliable source of heating that can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Days Bay

Each liveable space in a rental house must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and do not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position in order to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces 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 a healthy home

Insulation Days Bay

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor 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, and it will make more easy to the home to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand 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 – the remainder 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 quality.

Days Bay Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is 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 require to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists 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 Standards in Days Bay include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Days Bay for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during an home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient 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 with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.