Healthy Homes Assessment Maymorn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Maymorn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the tasks required. requirements to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties we are completely certified for 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 tenancy is signed for a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be completed by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the information requested within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant can be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who provide a false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease contract as the person letting the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be up-to-date before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who own several rental properties can face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

Around 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Maymorn, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older and have less effective heating and tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who report four or more key issues with their housing often have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improve the standard of Maymorn rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to illnesses. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught stopping for Maymorn rental properties.

Start now and call about getting a Maymorn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A humid house will cost more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out from the home need sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

You don’t require to block off holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test every window and door as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Maymorn

Rental properties in Maymorn require a reliable heating source which can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fix heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it should have an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in certain instances such as small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like heat pumps, it might need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient or are unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Maymorn

Every living space of a rental house must have at least one openable doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is about recognising that dry air is easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle in order to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need suitable extractor fans that vent to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Maymorn

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values of your area.

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

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from entering the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Find out all the details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maymorn

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with the Healthy Homes Standards in Maymorn include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in an house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property home assessment.