Healthy Homes Assessment Makara Beach

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure that their Makara Beach rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

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

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

We can assess your rental property and determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

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

We’re completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified to evaluate both 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, when a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Makara Beach rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be finished within 90 days.

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

Inability to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or violation 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 property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant can receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be accurate when the tenancy contract is signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as relevant work gets completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who own several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket hard, with large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Call us today and arrange to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households in New Zealand and Makara Beach, and research indicates that rental homes are most likely to be older, colder, have less efficient heating and have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, those who reported at least four major housing quality problems frequently have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improving the quality of Makara Beach rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs over the long term.

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

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Makara Beach

Draughts increase the likelihood of less temperature in homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a crack or a gap that is, it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from the house require to be sealed. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t in use it could cause draughts, and should be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are accountable for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the home warms and cools to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Makara Beach

Rental properties in Makara Beach should have a permanent heating source that can warm the largest or main living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to remain fixed (i.e., not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and must meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine if the current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is an electric heater (or heat pump), it must have an thermostat. This will make the heating more reliable and effective. In most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are needed. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If the main living room already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it may need some additional energy in order to comply with the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard because they’re costly, not affordable to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Check out the complete details on details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Makara Beach

Each living space within the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can take moisture away.

The ventilation quality is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is more easy to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to grow mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or the skylight needs at least to open to the outside, and stay at an open angle, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with shower, bath and cooktop or another water-generating appliance will need suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Makara Beach

Ceiling and underfloor insulation has been compulsory for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space may require to be replaced or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make more easy to allow the household to retain heat.

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

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – all 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Find out all the details about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Makara Beach Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could become a major issue that can cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and that it doesn’t get sucked into structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your floor and the surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps 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 Makara Beach

The areas of rental property that are affected with the Healthy Homes Standard in Makara Beach include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Makara Beach for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over in an house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to schedule your rental properties home assessment.