Healthy Homes Assessment Makara Beach

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Makara Beach 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 completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed and offer the report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with 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 $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as completely qualified for both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be completed within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to meet one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the necessary information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a penalty up to $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any relevant work gets completed.

It is crucial to be aware that landlords who own multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe violations. Those who have six or more properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket with huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have an home assessment performed for your rental property.

Check out the complete details of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

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

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who report four or more key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower mental health.

Improve the quality of Makara Beach rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to health issues. Your investment will also be better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results in less maintenance costs over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control on Makara Beach rental properties.

Get started now and contact us about getting a Makara Beach Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Makara Beach

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and increased bills.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes that it needs to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it’s likely to be a gap or hole which requirements sealing in the way you can. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of the home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no need to block holes or gaps that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement of the building when the household heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than sticking. We will examine all doors and windows as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Makara Beach

Rental properties in Makara Beach should have a permanent heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the coldest winter days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and must meet the minimum required heating capacity to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if your current fix heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), then it must include an thermostat. This will make the heating more uniform and efficient. For most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as heat pumps, wood burners, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, like heat pumps, it might just require an update to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate or are unsafe to operate.

See the full details on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Makara Beach

Every living space of a rental home must contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

This ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dry air is more easy to heat and a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway aren’t liveable , and thus don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements for them to be in a position to open to the outside and remain at an open angle in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, as well as any other space in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other humidity-generating items will need appropriate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas of high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Makara Beach

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is a requirement for all rent houses since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords must make sure that the insulation meets this new standard. In some instances, old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the subfloor space may need to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and also makes much easier to allow the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more high the R-value, better the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest 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 and underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Makara Beach Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from dampness isn’t just about what’s inside the building it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often the things you don’t notice that could be a huge problem that can cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of storm water, surface water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a location to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to 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 Makara Beach

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

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Makara Beach for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over when conducting an home assessment to see if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the sub floor space well-insulated? Is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? need to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of the tenant solutions ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental property home evaluation.