Healthy Homes Assessment Meeanee

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? Landlords must make sure their Meeanee rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about the tasks that requirements to be done and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as completely certified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Meeanee rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks have to be done inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers who have provided a false or misleading Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or 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 name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be current before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Contact us now and arrange to have a home inspection performed for your rental property.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Meeanee, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four key issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improving the standard of Meeanee rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping within Meeanee rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Meeanee

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, which results in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it requirements to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole, then it is most likely a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the house need sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and should be blocked off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t need to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the building when the home warms and cools in order to let them be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors in the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Meeanee

Meeanee rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 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 health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with the thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and effective. In most homes, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances such as small apartments, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might just require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Meeanee

Each liveable space in a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least of opening to the outside, but remain closed, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your home with shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture-producing item will require adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Meeanee

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required in all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might require to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, as well as making more easy for the home to hold heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Meeanee Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface or ground water, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that could become a major issue and cause damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it doesn’t sit beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Meeanee

Property rental areas that are affected by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Meeanee include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Meeanee for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in a house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the space under the floor insulated and is a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.