Healthy Homes Assessment Miramar

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure their Miramar rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work that requirements to be done and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties in addition, we’re completely certified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and request an home assessment done for your rental property.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Miramar, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Miramar rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living due to illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping on Miramar rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss getting a Miramar Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Miramar

Draughts are a major cause of low temperatures inside households. A humid home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the home need seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to cover up gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow movement of the building as the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will check every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Miramar

Miramar rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that can warm the largest or main living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it should include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it may require some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to achieve the quality because they’re costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Miramar

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that vent to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Miramar

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

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

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

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

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

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Miramar Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and cause damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Miramar

The areas of rental property that are affected through Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Miramar include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Miramar for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

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