Healthy Homes Assessment Moera

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Moera rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must 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 can assess your rental property and determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks that needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified 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 tenancy is signed on a Moera rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they can be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the property management company.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It’s crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and request an house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Moera, and research indicates that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Furthermore, people who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improving the standard of Moera rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Moera rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Moera

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within households. A cold house is more expensive to heat, meaning wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught can be 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 coming 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 needs sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out of the home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they are able to be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Moera

Rental properties in Moera need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even during the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum required heating capacity 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" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like the portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must include the thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in some cases such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source like heat pumps, it might need some additional energy to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the quality because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Moera

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open door or window to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be less difficult to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will need suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Moera

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is mandatory to all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to the household to hold warmth.

Insulation requirements 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 the insulation withstands heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

Moera Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building It’s about having to 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 is often the things you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the buildings is a vital aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid the ingress of moisture, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground water barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the 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 Moera

The areas of rental property that are affected through the Healthy Homes Standard in Moera include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Moera for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to look over in a house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call today to book your rental properties home assessment.