Healthy Homes Assessment Maraenui

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Maraenui rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the details required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in 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 $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors for rental properties, in addition, we’re completely certified for 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 brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Maraenui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be done within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Maraenui rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement letter and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out It could also be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who have multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

If you fail to meet your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households rent in New Zealand and Maraenui, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating, and generally tend to be of poorer quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Maraenui rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Maraenui rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Maraenui Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maraenui

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within households. A draughty house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air in or out from your home require sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools so that they can still be opened and closed rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important for well-being houses

Heating Maraenui

Maraenui rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the{ main or largest|| largest or main| principal or the biggest} living area to at minimum 18degC, even during 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 source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to top up with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating (or heat pump), it must have the thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In some instances, like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a central heating source, like a heat pump, then it could require a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Maraenui

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening door or window to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is all about understanding that dry air is easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallways are not liveable , and thus are not require an opening window or door.

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

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Maraenui

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and will also make it easier to the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well the insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the 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 floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Maraenui Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it is also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties require to have effective drainage to eliminate storm water, surface water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of maintaining your property’s dry.

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

The ground-moisture barrier usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maraenui

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Maraenui include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maraenui for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property owners and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.