Healthy Homes Assessment Maungaraki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details 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 violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, as well as completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to remember that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request a home inspection performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households the property in New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research shows us that these rental houses are more likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the homes of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Maungaraki rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Maungaraki rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A cold home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

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 hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out from your home require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the structure as the house heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test all doors and windows in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Maungaraki

Maungaraki rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump then it must include a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it may need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Maungaraki

Every living space in a rental house must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Maungaraki

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation withstands 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 – the remainder 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Maungaraki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is typically those concerns that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maungaraki

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check during a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental property home assessment.