Healthy Homes Assessment Maraenui

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure that their Maraenui rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be completed, 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 in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

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

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Maraenui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager does not supply the required information within 21 days of having received the inquiry, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate when the tenancy contract is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any relevant work gets completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for the most serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, and result in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have an house assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Maraenui, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improving the quality of Maraenui rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , 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, as well Draught Stopping in Maraenui rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maraenui

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A humid home costs more to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out within your house need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as far as possible.

You don’t require to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the house warms and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will check all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information for the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy houses

Heating Maraenui

Rental properties in Maraenui must have a fixed source of heat that can warm the living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the fix heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make your heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a central heating source such as an air conditioner, it might just require a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the quality as they are either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information regarding details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Maraenui

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside while remaining at an open angle to allow the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, as well as any other space in your home that has shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will need adequate extractor fans which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is an ideal house

Insulation Maraenui

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to make sure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space may require to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task to allow the home to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for 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 greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Maraenui Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting inside. When it is about damp and water, it is often what you don’t see that can cause a lot of trouble and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

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

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maraenui

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standards in Maraenui include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maraenui for Rental Properties

There are many concerns to check in the house assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of a Tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.