Healthy Homes Assessment Maupuia

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Maupuia rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of the work required. needs to be completed, and provide the report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely qualified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6790

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Maupuia rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to meet all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they are living in. If the property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible to pay this fine is the one who is named on the lease agreement as being the person who is letting the property It could also be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be current at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and is updated during the entire tenancy, as necessary work related to it’s finished.

It is important to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for severe breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Maupuia, and research suggests that rental houses tend to be colder, older and are not as effective heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major housing quality problems frequently have less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the standard of Maupuia rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health, and lessen the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, and Draught-stopping for Maupuia rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Maupuia Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Maupuia

Draughts may lead to less temperature in houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out within the home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring that such draughts are squelched as far as imaginable.

There is no require to block up intentional holes or gaps which are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow for movement of the structure as the house is heated and cools so that they can still be closed and opened rather than being stuck. We will test all doors and windows in the 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 for well-being houses

Heating Maupuia

Maupuia rental properties need to have a stable source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental well-being.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if your current permanent heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with an thermostat. This makes your heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might require a top up to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality as they are either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Maupuia

Every living space in the rental property should have at least one openable window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

This ventilation standard is all about acknowledging it is that dry air will be more easy to heat and heat, and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Every window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside while remaining fixed in an open position to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your home with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Maupuia

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is a requirement for all rent homes since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space might need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated property will help to control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness as well as making an easier task to allow the house to keep the heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Maupuia Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from water damage isn’t only about the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and stop it from coming inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s typically those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that water is able to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to prevent any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Maupuia

Areas of rental properties that are impacted by The Healthy Homes Standards in Maupuia include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Maupuia for Rental Properties

There are a variety of concerns to check in an home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. Some examples include:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Does the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For specialist advice get in touch today and book your rental properties home evaluation.