Healthy Homes Assessment Makara Beach

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Makara Beach rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks that requirements to be completed and offer an assessment report that includes all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied lease is entered into on a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the anticipated timeframe could result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the information requested within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible to pay this fine is the one who is identified on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out which could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is completed, and must be updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is also crucial to note that landlords who own several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations, and landlords who own six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Makara Beach, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

Improve the standard of Makara Beach rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Stopping for Makara Beach rental properties.

Start now and call about the Makara Beach Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Makara Beach

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or the air is clear from a gap or hole and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out of your home require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped in the maximum extent possible.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow movement of the structure as the household warms and cools so that they can still be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will test the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure healthy homes

Heating Makara Beach

Rental properties in Makara Beach require a reliable source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient 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 under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat source, it must include the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and efficient. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If the living area is already equipped with a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need an update to ensure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re expensive, inefficient and/or unhealthy to run.

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

Ventilation Makara Beach

Every living space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to offer natural airflow. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor fan to eliminate moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that dry air is easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, but remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Makara Beach

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is mandatory to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house can help control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to the household to keep the heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the 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 underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Makara Beach Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is about damp and water, it is often the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the building. It also helps in preventing 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 Makara Beach

The areas of rental property that are affected to Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Makara Beach include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Makara Beach for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to look over when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the sub floor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need to be topped up or replaced?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.