Healthy Homes Assessment Maymorn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Maymorn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully 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 assess your rental property to check whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified for each of 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 brand new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also crucial to remember that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Maymorn, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four key home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Maymorn rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping for Maymorn rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

Draughts can lead to less temperature in households. A cold home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out within the home need the sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for healthy homes

Heating Maymorn

Rental properties in Maymorn must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 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 health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to have the thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Maymorn

Each living space within a rental property must contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms dining rooms, and kitchens are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Maymorn

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes it easier to the house to hold warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of 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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often what you don’t see that could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the home. It also helps prevent 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 Maymorn

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Maymorn include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to check during a home review to determine if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.