Healthy Homes Assessment Meeanee

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st of July 2021? Landlords must ensure that their Meeanee rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be done and offer the report with all the information needed for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations of the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, as well as 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

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new or renewed contract is signed on a Meeanee rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed by the end of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in a new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they live in. If the property manager is unable to provide the necessary information within 21 days from receiving the request, they may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who offer a false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy contract as the person leasing the property out which could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Compliance Statement needs to be correct before the tenancy agreement can be completed, and should be kept updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s crucial to note that a landlord who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to comply with requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your pocket resulting in significant fines and having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a home assessment performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent in New Zealand and Meeanee, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than the houses of owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses like colds, influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, people who experience at least four key house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Meeanee rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will also be better protected from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well as Draught stopping within Meeanee rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Meeanee Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Meeanee

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside households. A damp house is more expensive to heat, which means wasting money and energy.

If a draught can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a hole or gap that is, it is probably a gap or crack that requirements sealing in some way. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit within the house need seals. For example, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and must be sealed off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block gaps or holes that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the building when the house warms and cools so that they are able to be closed and opened instead of instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door as part of our Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Meeanee

Meeanee rental properties should have a permanent heating source that can warm the main or largest living area to at minimum 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heating needs to remain fixed (i.e., not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll need to ‘top up’ with an additional heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options under the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. In most houses, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater may suffice.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like a heat pump, then it may need a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality since they’re either costly, not affordable to run, or unsafe to operate.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Meeanee

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open door or window to offer natural airflow. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens or bathrooms should have an externally vented extractor to remove moisture.

It is the ventilation standard is all about acknowledging how dried air can be easier to heat and that the property that is properly ventilated will be less prone to developing damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered to be liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t considered liveable , and thus are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door or the skylight needs to have the ability to open up to the outside and remain fixed in an open position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens as well as any other space in your house that houses a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other humidity-generating items will require suitable extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces that includes extractor fans that are suitable in high moisture areas.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm home is an ideal home

Insulation Meeanee

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is a requirement for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and it will make an easier task to allow the house to retain the heat.

Insulation needs 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 more high the R-value, more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – all area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

Learn more about the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Meeanee Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside of the building but you must make sure there is somewhere for surface, rain and ground water to go and also stop it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually those things that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble that can cause the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to have efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to prevent the ingress of moisture, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and the ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier generally a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground, to block any moisture that is present in the ground from getting into the building. It also assists in preventing from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Find out all the details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Meeanee

Rental property areas affected by Healthy Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Meeanee include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Meeanee for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of concerns you should look for when conducting an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require topping up or replacing?
• Can the unit heat up sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and draught stopping?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.