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 are now required to ensure that their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are 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 is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks which needs to be done and offer the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified for 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, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there could be an additional penalty or infringement 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 the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they can receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and arrange to have an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the standard of Maungaraki rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control within Maungaraki rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about having a Maungaraki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it’s probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out from your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow for movement within the structure as the household warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy houses

Heating Maungaraki

Rental properties in Maungaraki must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, 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 your main living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it may need an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Maungaraki

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable areas. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that vent towards the outside. 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 warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Maungaraki

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes an easier task for the house to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maungaraki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop water ingress, if the apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing from causing damage to the flooring 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

Property rental areas that are affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Maungaraki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

There are many things you should look for in an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.