Healthy Homes Assessment Maungaraki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

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

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet the 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 put your rental at risk. property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research has shown that these rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who report at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improve the quality of Maungaraki rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping for Maungaraki rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the building as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Maungaraki

Rental properties in Maungaraki should have a permanent source of heat that can warm the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

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

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must include a thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the main living room is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might just need an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maungaraki

Every living space of a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding the fact that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or the skylight requirements at least open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Maungaraki

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with the new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the home to hold warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Maungaraki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also assists 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 Maungaraki

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Maungaraki include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

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

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.