Healthy Homes Assessment Maupuia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Maupuia rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 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 if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be done and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they may be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a home assessment done on your rental property.

Find the full information on the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Maupuia, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Maupuia rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Maupuia rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maupuia

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into the house require the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will check all windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Maupuia

Rental properties in Maupuia need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must have an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it may need an update to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Maupuia

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising how dried air can be more easy to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or Skylight requirements to be able to open to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Maupuia

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement to all rental houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and also makes an easier task to the home to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area 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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Maupuia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem, causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties require to have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maupuia

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Maupuia include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maupuia for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have 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 services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.