Healthy Homes Assessment Maupuia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Maupuia rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 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 determine whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, we are completely 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, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to comply with each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in a fine of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as relevant work gets completed.

It’s crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Maupuia, and research has shown that these rental homes tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are linked to negative well-being results, specifically for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Maupuia rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will be protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping on Maupuia rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Maupuia Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maupuia

Draughts are a major cause of lower temperatures in houses. A humid house costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught is noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or crack that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out within the home need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t being used, it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure when the household heats and cools, in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than sticking. We will test all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are crucial for healthy homes

Heating Maupuia

Rental properties in Maupuia need to have a stable source of heating which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump it should be equipped with an thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a central heating source, like the heat pump, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maupuia

Each liveable space in a rental property must include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms should have an venting fan outside to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dry air will be easier to heat and heat, and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and are not need an opening door or window.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside while remaining set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is a healthy house

Insulation Maupuia

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and it will make much easier to allow the home to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

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

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

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

Maupuia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with efficient drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

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

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maupuia

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Maupuia include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maupuia for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns to look over when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties house assessment.