Healthy Homes Assessment Maungaraki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be done and offer the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of 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 healthier homes associated fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager fails to supply the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and request a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

See the full details for this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research shows us that these rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Maungaraki rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also secured 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 as Draught Stopping for Maungaraki rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Maungaraki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from the home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to cover up holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building as the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Maungaraki

Maungaraki rental properties require a reliable heating source that is able to heat the living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

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 required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with an additional 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 system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must have the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a central heating source like an air conditioner, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maungaraki

Each living space within a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising how dry air is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Maungaraki

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes an easier task to the home to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part 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 (underfloor 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 moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental is enclosed between your flooring and the ground, a ground water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maungaraki

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standard in Maungaraki include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.