Healthy Homes Assessment Mayfair

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? The landlords are now required to ensure that their Mayfair rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant 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 to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of the work needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations 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 related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are fully qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 232 113

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Mayfair rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be finished within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Mayfair rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished inside of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease contract as the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is also crucial to keep in mind that a landlord who have multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet with large fines in addition to still being required to comply with the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a house inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households homes in New Zealand and Mayfair, and research has shown that these rental homes are more likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who have reported four or more key housing quality problems frequently have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Mayfair rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and daily life due to illness. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Mayfair rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Mayfair Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mayfair

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within homes. A cold house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see a clear draught from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and let air into or out of the house need to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as much as possible.

There is no require to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building as the house heats and cools, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all windows and doors during our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details regarding the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Mayfair

Mayfair rental properties should have a permanent source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat source, it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it could require an upgrade to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Mayfair

Each liveable space in the rental property should contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements for them to be in a position open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Mayfair

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making an easier task for the house to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

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

Mayfair Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a place to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the structure. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mayfair

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Mayfair include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mayfair for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over when conducting the house assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house assessment.