Healthy Homes Assessment Maoribank

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? Landlords must make sure that their Maoribank 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 conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Maoribank rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it is updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have a house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent from New Zealand and Maoribank, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Maoribank rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught Stopping within Maoribank rental properties.

Begin now by calling about having a Maoribank Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maoribank

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or crack that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of your house require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Maoribank

Maoribank rental properties require a reliable source of heat which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it may require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Maoribank

Every living space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open door or window to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is about recognising it is that dry air is much easier to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able to open to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Maoribank

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make an easier task to allow the house to hold the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation resists heat flow. The greater 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 remainder of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Maoribank Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maoribank

Rental property areas affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Maoribank include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maoribank for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there 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 on the wrong side of a Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.