Healthy Homes Assessment Miramar

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Miramar rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely 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 evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the work which requirements to be completed, and offer a report with all the information required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes associated fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re 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, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty up to $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and should be kept updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious breaches, and landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request a home evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Miramar, and research suggests that rental homes tend to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who report at least four major home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improve the standard of Miramar rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught stopping in Miramar rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Miramar

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole that is, it’s probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your house need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement within the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Miramar

Miramar rental properties must have a fixed heating source that can warm the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it might just require a top up in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Miramar

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or the skylight needs at least to open up to the outside and remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal home

Insulation Miramar

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and will also make an easier task to allow the home to retain warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder area 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 and underfloor R 1.3

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

Miramar Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow, and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Miramar

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Miramar include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Miramar for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over in a house review to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental property home evaluation.