Healthy Homes Assessment Miramar

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Miramar rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

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

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be done, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified 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, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be finished by the end of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in a fine of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed. It should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and request an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Miramar, and research indicates that rental houses are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as heart diseases. In addition, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Miramar rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illnesses. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Miramar rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Miramar Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Miramar

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside houses. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air in or out into your home require seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure such draughts are eliminated whenever possible.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow movement of the structure when the home is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows during an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Miramar

Rental properties in Miramar should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 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 outlook.

The source of heat needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a central heating source, such as the heat pump, it may need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Miramar

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to get rid of moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about recognising it is that dry air is easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Miramar

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets this new quality. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and damp, and it will make much easier to the house to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Miramar Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the property. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Miramar

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Miramar include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Miramar for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to be able to examine in 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:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental properties house assessment.