Healthy Homes Assessment Makara Beach

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 Makara Beach 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 conforming by the 1st 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 to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the tasks which needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthier homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties and are 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of as much as $900 for landlords and property managers who provide a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is 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 keep in mind that landlords who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be penalised up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done for your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households from New Zealand and Makara Beach, and research shows us that these rental homes are likely to be older, colder, are not as effective heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are linked to negative well-being outcomes, especially for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, those who reported four or more key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in well-being.

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

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Makara Beach rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Makara Beach Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Makara Beach

Draughts can lead to dropping temperatures within homes. A damp house costs more to heat, which results in wasting energy and increased bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap that is, it is likely to be a gap or an opening that needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the house require sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

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 for the movement of the building as the household gets warmer and cooler, in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will check the windows and doors as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Makara Beach

Makara Beach rental properties require a reliable heating source that can heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable), at least 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump, it should include a thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are needed. However, in some cases like small apartment buildings small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a central heating source like a heat pump, then it might need an update to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, or unsafe to operate.

Find the complete specifications regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Makara Beach

Every living space in a rental property must have at least one opening door or window to provide natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging that the dry atmosphere is much easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

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

Each window, door or skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other room in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented out to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough air circulation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

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

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Makara Beach

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory for all rent houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure the insulation meets current quality. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes it easier to allow the household to keep heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all of 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

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Makara Beach Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue and end up causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties must have effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and ground water, which includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, to block any moisture from the ground from getting into the home. It also assists in preventing any damage to your underfloor 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

Property rental areas that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standard in Makara Beach include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Makara Beach for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine during a house assessment to see if your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of the tenancy solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For specialist assistance, get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.