Healthy Homes Assessment Maymorn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Maymorn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed 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 will evaluate your rental property and determine 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 tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement letter and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and arrange to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Maymorn, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Maymorn rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping on Maymorn rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Maymorn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A humid home will cost more to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for well-being houses

Heating Maymorn

Rental properties in Maymorn must have a fixed source of heating that can heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it requirements to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maymorn

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside, and stay at an open angle to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Maymorn

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that 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 filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the home to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet 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 more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 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

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently the concerns you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to get rid of the stormwater and surface waters, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maymorn

Property rental areas that are affected by Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Maymorn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.