Healthy Homes Assessment Miramar

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Miramar 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 conforming by the 1st July 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 whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed, and provide an assessment report that includes all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, and are fully qualified for 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, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work have to be done inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on the Miramar rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they are living in. If the landlord or property manager is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they can be issued an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there’s also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property and it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy contract is executed, and it must be updated throughout the tenancy as any related work is completed.

It is also crucial to be aware that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties could be fined up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to comply with the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account and result in massive fines as well as continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property call us now and arrange to have an house inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Miramar, and research suggests that rental homes are most likely to be colder, older, are not as effective heating and have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for illnesses like colds, asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four major home quality issues often suffer from low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Enhancing the quality of Miramar rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Stopping on Miramar rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Miramar Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Miramar

Draughts can lead to low temperatures inside households. A humid home costs more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a gap or hole, then it’s likely a crack or an opening that needs sealing in the way you can. Cracks and gaps that are large should be permanently stopped. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out into your home require the sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as far as possible.

You don’t require to cover up gaps or holes in the building. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for movement of the structure as the household is heated and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect all windows and doors in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is important for well-being homes

Heating Miramar

Miramar rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested 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) that is, at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options for The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as 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 the main living room already has a permanent heating source, like the heat pump, it might just require some additional energy to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to achieve the quality as they are either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Miramar

Each liveable space in a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that the dry atmosphere is less difficult to heat, and that a well ventilated rental property will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t considered living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight requirements to be able to open up to the outside, but remain at an open angle, allowing the circulation of fresh air and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your property with shower, bath or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Miramar

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement on all rental houses from 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should make sure that the insulation is up to the new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be replaced or replaced.

A well-insulated house will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, as well as making more easy to allow the house to hold heat.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance and is a measure of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Miramar Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from dampness isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to make sure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is typically the things you don’t notice that could become a major issue that can cause damage to your investment and affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture that is present in the ground from entering the home. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Miramar

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Miramar include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Miramar for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine when conducting the home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental properties house evaluation.