Healthy Homes Assessment Mahora

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Mahora 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 completely certified by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that requirements to be done, and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not in compliance could face fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes relevant fines.

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

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Mahora rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed lease is entered into on the Mahora rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be finished within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the landlord or property manager does not supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined as high as $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is liable to pay this fine is the one who is listed on the tenancy contract as the person renting the property, so it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement requirements to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be kept updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s important to remember that a landlord who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The most severe penalties are reserved for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket and result in significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have a house evaluation performed for your rental property.

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

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

One in three households rent from New Zealand and Mahora, and research indicates that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and have lower quality than houses that are owned by the owner.

Cold, damp and mouldy homes can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported four or more key home quality issues often suffer from less satisfaction in their lives and lower well-being.

Improve the quality of Mahora rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living because of illness. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp , which means 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 in Mahora rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Mahora Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Mahora

Draughts can lead to less temperature in houses. A damp home costs more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming out of a hole or gap or crack, then it is likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be permanently stopped. The gaps that exceed 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t being used, it can cause draughts and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as imaginable.

There is no require to block gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors might be necessary to allow movement of the structure as the household warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will inspect the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being homes

Heating Mahora

Rental properties in Mahora must have a fixed heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity and have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to check if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to ‘top up’ with a new heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be safe heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is an electric heater or heat source, then it must be equipped with the thermostat. This will make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. In some instances, like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a central heating source, such as heat pumps, it might need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Mahora

Every living space of a rental property must have at least one opening window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

The ventilation standard is all about understanding that dried air can be less difficult to heat, and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to grow damp and mould.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and are not require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your property with a bath, shower cooker or any other moisture generating item will need proper extractor fan systems that are vented out to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space, including suitable extractor fans in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Mahora

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers must ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In certain situations, the an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make an easier task to allow the household to retain the heat.

Insulation requirements to be in compliance with 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 higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

• Zone 1 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 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Mahora Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain as well as groundwater to move, and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is about damp and water, it’s frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem that can cause damages to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should have efficient drainage to remove storm water, surface water, and ground water, including an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and it can’t linger underneath the buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your property has an enclosed space between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to install it.

A ground moisture barrier is generally a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to prevent water damage to the floor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Mahora

Rental property areas affected through Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Mahora include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Mahora for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to check during a house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a water barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need replenishment or replacement?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy Home in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling could be significant for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch today to book your rental properties house evaluation.