Healthy Homes Assessment Moera

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Moera 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 fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work needed to be completed. requirements to be done, and offer an assessment report that includes all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to assess 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Moera rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be done within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Moera rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they live in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

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

It is also important to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties may receive additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and request a home assessment done for 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?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Moera, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally are of lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

The improvement in the quality of Moera rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Moera

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside homes. A draughty home is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within your house need to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as possible.

You don’t require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure when the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Moera

Moera rental properties require a reliable heating source which can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended 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), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might just require an update to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

See the full details for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Moera

Every living space of a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding how the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay closed in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your home that has a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

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

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Moera

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, and also makes much easier to allow the house to keep heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and 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

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

Moera Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the inside of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue, causing the property to suffer and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is a vital aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from rising into 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 quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Moera

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Moera for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns you should look for when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental property house evaluation.