Healthy Homes Assessment Marewa

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Marewa rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rental properties are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. requirements to be completed and provide an evaluation report with all the details required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations under the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed for a Marewa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be done inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, when a brand new or renewed Tenancy is signed for a Marewa rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of inside of 90 days.

Failure to comply with one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they could receive an infringement letter and be fined up to $750.

Furthermore, there’s also a fine of up to $900 for landlords and property managers that provide false or false Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is completed, and should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It is important to note that landlords who manage several rental properties can face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 for hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t take a chance with your rental property Contact us now and arrange to have an house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent homes in New Zealand and Marewa, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating, and generally have lower quality than owner occupied properties.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses can have negative health results, specifically for diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who report four or more major home quality issues often suffer from lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental health.

Improving the quality of Marewa rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health as well as lessen interruption to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning lower 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, as well as Draught Stopping on Marewa rental properties.

Start now and call about the Marewa Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Marewa

Draughts may lead to low temperatures inside houses. A damp home will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and incurring higher costs.

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

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or the air is clear from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it is likely a crack or hole that needs sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out within your house require the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and must be sealed off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for making sure that these draughts are stopped as much as imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes that are part of the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the household is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened rather instead of being stuck. We will check the windows and doors in our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Marewa

Marewa rental properties need to have a stable heating source that is able to heat the largest or main living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heat needs for it to be permanent (i.e., not portable) with at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and meet the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the permanent heater(s) are adequate 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 are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of homes, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

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

Find the complete specifications on details on Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Marewa

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about understanding it is that dry air is easier to heat and a property that is well ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position in order to allow for fresh air circulation and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas with high moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal house

Insulation Marewa

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is a requirement to all rental houses as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is up to standards that are in line with the latest quality. In certain situations, the existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, as well as making much easier to the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 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 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Marewa Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the inside It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for rain, surface as well as groundwater to move and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it’s usually those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem, causing damage to your investment as well as harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters, and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water is able to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Marewa

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standard in Marewa include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Marewa for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to be able to examine during a house review to determine if your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having an Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of an tenant solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today to book your rental property home evaluation.