Healthy Homes Assessment Maymorn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords are now required 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 rental properties must be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be completed, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely qualified to assess 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, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the information requested within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to be aware that a landlord with multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and request an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households the property in New Zealand and Maymorn, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Maymorn rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Maymorn rental properties.

Start now and call about the Maymorn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A humid house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air in or out of your house require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no require to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the house is heated and cools so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will inspect the windows and doors during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Maymorn

Rental properties in Maymorn must have a fixed source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must be equipped with a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as a heat pump, then it might need a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality as they are either costly, not cost-effective to run, or are unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Maymorn

Each liveable space in a rental house must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

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

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

Each window, door , or the skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Maymorn

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required on all rental houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes more easy to allow the home to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest part 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

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

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing 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

Rental property areas affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Maymorn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.