Healthy Homes Assessment Meeanee

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Meeanee rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas that are covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be completed, and provide an evaluation report with all the information needed for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7200 plus any additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are fully independent assessors of rental property, and are completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now 0800 894 138

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Meeanee rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed within 90 days.

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

Failure to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards within the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or 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 is unable to supply the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the lease agreement as the one who is letting the property out which could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It is important to remember that a landlord who own multiple rental properties could face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are reserved for severe breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of 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 hard, resulting in large fines in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t take a chance with your rental property call us now and ask us to conduct an house assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

Get the full description of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

About 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Meeanee, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally tend to be lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly diseases like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who experience at least four major issues with their housing often have poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Enhancing the quality of Meeanee rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved mental and physical health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better safeguarded from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, and Draught Control for Meeanee rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Meeanee

Draughts may lead to dropping temperatures within houses. A cold home will cost more to heat, which means wasting energy and increased bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are the most unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole or crack, then it’s likely a crack or hole which needs sealing in somehow. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Any gaps greater than 3mm that let air into or out from your house need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace is not in use, it may cause draughts and must be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed in the maximum extent possible.

There is no require to block up intentional gaps or holes in the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building when the house is heated and cools to allow them to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will test all doors and windows in an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important to ensure well-being houses

Heating Meeanee

Meeanee rental properties must have a fixed source of heating that is able to heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The heating source requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the existing permanent heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be suitable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is electric heating or heat pump it must include a thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters will be required. However, in some cases like apartments with small spaces the smaller fixed electric heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source such as the heat pump, it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the standard as they are either costly, not affordable to run, and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Meeanee

Every living space of the rental property should contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas like kitchens and bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air will be more easy to heat and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight needs to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain closed in order to allow the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans which are vented towards the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry home is a healthy home

Insulation Meeanee

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory in all rental houses from 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the sub floor space might need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and it will make more easy for the house to retain the heat.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The more high the R-value, more efficient the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest part 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 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Meeanee Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building it’s also about the outside. You must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water, and stop it from coming into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often not apparent that it can cause a lot of trouble and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to get rid of storm water, surface water and groundwater, with an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a place to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually made of polythene and is laid on top of the ground, in order to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Meeanee

The areas of rental property that are affected with The Healthy Homes Standards in Meeanee include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Meeanee for Rental Properties

There are numerous things to look over when conducting the house inspection to determine whether your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy Home in accordance with regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an tenant solutions ruling can be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.