Healthy Homes Assessment Marewa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Marewa 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 in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which requirements to be completed and provide an assessment report that includes all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes associated fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, as well as fully certified for each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Marewa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be done within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Marewa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, it could result in an additional fine or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they are living in. If the landlord or property manager fails to provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they will receive an infringement letter and could be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords and property managers providing a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive even higher fines for non-compliance. The most severe penalties are reserved for severe violations, and landlords who own six or more properties could be penalised up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in massive fines as well as having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

A majority of households in New Zealand and Marewa, and research indicates that rental homes tend to be colder, older, have less effective heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the quality of Marewa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and daily life because of illness. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Marewa rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Marewa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Marewa

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in homes. A humid home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught could 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 flowing in or a clear draught from a crack or a gap, then it’s likely to be a gap or hole which needs sealing in some way. Large gaps and cracks should be stopped permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out of your home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block off holes or gaps in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household heats and cools, so that they can still be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Marewa

Rental properties in Marewa must have a fixed source of heat which can warm the living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating requirements for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum required heating capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to "top up" with a new heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options under those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the living area already has a fixed heating source, such as an air conditioner, it might just need an update in order to comply with the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Marewa

Every living space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to provide natural airflow. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding it is that dried air can be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

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

Every window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain closed, allowing for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other area in your property with shower, bath cooker or any other moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

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

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Marewa

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with current quality. In some cases, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to the household to hold the heat.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" signifies thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Marewa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must be equipped with efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a location to go, and it can’t linger underneath the structures is an important aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental is enclosed between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Marewa

The areas of rental property that are affected by Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Marewa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Marewa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over during an home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties home evaluation.