Healthy Homes Assessment Moera

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Moera rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate each of 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Moera rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards within the expected timeframe can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed. It is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It is also 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 violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Moera, and research shows us that these rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

The damp, cold and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and heart diseases. In addition, people who report four or more key house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

The improvement in the standard of Moera rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to diseases. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping within Moera rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about the Moera Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Moera

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap, then it is most likely a gap or hole which requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out from the house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the structure as the household gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Moera

Moera rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it requirements to have the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Moera

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about understanding how dry air is easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other area in your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Find out all the details about The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Moera

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and it will make it easier to the home to retain heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

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

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Moera Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically what you don’t see that can become a big problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a location to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the building. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Moera

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standards in Moera include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Moera for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to check when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert guidance, contact us today and book your rental property home assessment.