Healthy Homes Assessment Maymorn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Maymorn 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 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 can evaluate your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work that needs to be done, and provide the report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, and are fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained through the tenancy period as related work is completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and request an home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Maymorn, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported at least four key issues with their housing often have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Maymorn rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping for Maymorn rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s most likely a gap or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t need to block holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement of the building as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than securing. We will examine every window and door as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Maymorn

Maymorn rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the living room to at least 18degC, even during 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 outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will require to top up by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could need a top up to make sure it meets the requirements. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Maymorn

Each living space within a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside while remaining set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has a bath, shower and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Maymorn

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure the insulation meets the new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making more easy to allow the household to hold heat.

Insulation requirements 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 the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

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

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

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow and prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maymorn

Property rental areas that are affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Maymorn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property house evaluation.