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 are now required to make sure that their Maymorn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of 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 up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be finished within 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not provide the information requested within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and request an home assessment performed on your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Maymorn, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental wellbeing.

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

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

Draughts are a major cause of less temperature in houses. A damp house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into the home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the home warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Maymorn

Maymorn rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can heat the living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Maymorn

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about acknowledging it is that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that vent towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Maymorn

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and will also make it easier to allow the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest area 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and soil, a ground-water barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maymorn

The areas of rental property that are affected through The Healthy Homes Standard in Maymorn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in the house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.