Healthy Homes Assessment Maungaraki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be done, and provide the report with all the information needed to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We are fully independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within an updated, renewed, or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they can receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible to pay 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 landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be correct when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that a landlord with multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Maungaraki rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and minimise the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping on Maungaraki rental properties.

Begin now by calling about receiving a Maungaraki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A draughty home costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it requirements to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home need seals. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will examine every window and door during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Maungaraki

Maungaraki rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 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 well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it requirements to have an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source like an air conditioner, it could require an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to achieve the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Maungaraki

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising that dry air will be less difficult to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable , and thus don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will require suitable extractor fans that are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

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

A dry and warm house is a healthy home

Insulation Maungaraki

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure that the insulation meets current standard. 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 lower the chance of mould and dampness, as well as making much easier for the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of the 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

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maungaraki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and also stop it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maungaraki

Rental property areas affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Maungaraki include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental properties home evaluation.