Healthy Homes Assessment Maungaraki

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Maungaraki rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The subjects 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 assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation in 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 healthy homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6791

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on a Maungaraki rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant will be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide 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 leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord as well as the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face even higher fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined as high as $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and ask us to conduct a house assessment done on your rental property.

See the full details for the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Maungaraki, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. In addition, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improving the quality of Maungaraki rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control in Maungaraki rental properties.

Start now and call about receiving a Maungaraki Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maungaraki

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught is perceived as a result of gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent imaginable.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the house warms and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will examine every window and door during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Maungaraki

Rental properties in Maungaraki should have a permanent source of heat which can warm the living room to at least 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat source, it needs to have the thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it might just need an upgrade to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maungaraki

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

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

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to be able open to the outside while remaining closed to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Maungaraki

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make more easy to the household to keep the heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part 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 below floor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maungaraki Moisture Ingress & Drainage

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

Rental properties require to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water, and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go, and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maungaraki

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by the Healthy Homes Standards in Maungaraki include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maungaraki for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to be able to examine in a home review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties house assessment.