Healthy Homes Assessment Maupuia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure that their Maupuia rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified 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 to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed and offer a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re completely qualified for 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 or renewed tenancy is signed on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet 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. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out and it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and request an house assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

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

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the standard of Maupuia rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Maupuia rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maupuia

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in homes. A cold house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building when the household warms and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine all windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Maupuia

Rental properties in Maupuia must have a fixed heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source like a heat pump, then it could need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maupuia

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dried air can be more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your home with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Maupuia

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory to all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make much easier for the home to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maupuia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue and end up causing the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your 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 Maupuia

The areas of rental property that are affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Maupuia include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maupuia for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting a house inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice get in touch today to book your rental properties home assessment.