Healthy Homes Assessment Makara Beach

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Makara Beach rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide the report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties we are completely qualified to evaluate both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be taken care of within 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 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 by the end of 90 days.

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details 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 supply the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined upto $750.

In addition, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable to pay this fine is the one who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is letting the property out, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy contract is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated during the entire tenancy, as associated work has been completed.

It is also important to keep in mind that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may face more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are given for the most serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in massive fines as well as still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and request a home assessment performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Makara Beach, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold homes can have negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who experience four or more key housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower mental wellbeing.

The improvement in the quality of Makara Beach rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught-stopping in Makara Beach rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss the Makara Beach Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Makara Beach

Draughts may lead to less temperature in households. A cold house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it’s most likely a gap or hole that requirements sealing in any way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your home require seals. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow movement of the structure when the home warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will test the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Makara Beach

Makara Beach rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that is able to heat the largest or main living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it must include a thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your main living space already has a permanent heating source, like an air conditioner, it might just need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details for details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Makara Beach

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

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

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

Each door, window or skylight requirements at least to open up to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will require proper extractor fan systems that are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Makara Beach

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure that the insulation is in line with this new quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness, and also makes much easier to the household to hold heat.

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 resists 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 area of 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 below floor R 1.3

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

Makara Beach Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from water damage isn’t only about the inside but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently what you don’t see that could become a major issue and cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from entering the home. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Makara Beach

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Makara Beach for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for in the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.