Healthy Homes Assessment Maymorn

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must make sure their Maymorn rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties must 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 will assess your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties we are fully certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6792

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for a Maymorn rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to meet each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It is also crucial to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches. Landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, with significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households from New Zealand and Maymorn, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold homes are associated with negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the quality of Maymorn rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health as well as lessen disruptions to their work, education and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught Control on Maymorn rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Maymorn Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maymorn

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

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit from the home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed whenever imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for the movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will examine all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being homes

Heating Maymorn

Rental properties in Maymorn must have a fixed source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental outlook.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine whether the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, it requirements to be equipped with an thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and efficient. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source, such as heat pumps, it may need a top up to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or unsafe to operate.

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

Ventilation Maymorn

Every living space in a rental home must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable venting fan outside to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation quality is all about recognising that dry air will be less difficult to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable areas. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore do not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in high moisture areas.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is a healthy home

Insulation Maymorn

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory on all rental homes from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets the new standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and dampness and it will make it easier to allow the house to retain warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

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

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Maymorn Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it concerns damp and moisture it is often the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damage to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that 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 moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from rising into the home. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maymorn

Rental property areas affected with The Healthy Homes Standard in Maymorn include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maymorn for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check when conducting the home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation need replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental property home assessment.