Healthy Homes Assessment Maungaraki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

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

Failure to fulfill the requirements under 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 in addition to any healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental property, we are fully certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is letting the property out It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households homes in New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research has shown that these rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as efficient heating and are of lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Maungaraki rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damage, meaning lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Maungaraki rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out of your house need seals. In the case of an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable 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 which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the structure when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will inspect all windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy homes

Heating Maungaraki

Maungaraki rental properties must have a fixed 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 temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether your current fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options for those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as a heat pump, then it might require some additional energy to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maungaraki

Every living space in a rental home must include at least one open door or window to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about recognising how the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop damp and mould.

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Maungaraki

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes more easy to the household to retain warmth.

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

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maungaraki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface or ground water and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often the things you don’t notice that can become a big problem and end up causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing 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 Maungaraki

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Maungaraki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns you should look for during a house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional guidance, contact us today to book your rental properties home evaluation.