Healthy Homes Assessment Moera

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Moera 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 certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be done, and offer the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified for each of 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 or renewed tenancy is signed for a Moera rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done within 90 days.

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

Failure to comply with all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy contract as the person who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Moera, and research has shown that these rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are linked to negative well-being outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the standard of Moera rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Control within Moera rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Moera

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it is likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit of your home need seals. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building when the house gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

The proper heating equipment is crucial to ensure well-being houses

Heating Moera

Rental properties in Moera must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and efficient. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as the heat pump, it could require an upgrade in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to comply with the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Moera

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist spaces like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t considered liveable and do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need adequate extractor fans that vent towards the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Moera

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is mandatory on all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier to allow the household to retain the heat.

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

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

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

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

Moera Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside but you must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is frequently those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water is able to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Moera

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Moera include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Moera for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to be able to examine in a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental property home assessment.