Healthy Homes Assessment Maupuia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure 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 in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work which needs to be done and offer an evaluation report with all the details 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 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is important to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

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

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Maupuia rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Maupuia rental properties.

Begin now by calling about the Maupuia Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maupuia

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap or crack, then it is most likely a gap or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out within the house require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Maupuia

Rental properties in Maupuia should have a permanent source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it requirements to have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If your living space already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maupuia

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding how dried air can be much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Maupuia

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and it will make much easier to allow the house to keep the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists 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 area 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Maupuia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure 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.

Alongside a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps in preventing water damage to the floor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maupuia

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Maupuia include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maupuia for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.