Healthy Homes Assessment Ascot Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords now have to make sure their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a renewal or new tenancy and all private rentals must be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The subjects covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to check whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks needed to be completed. needs to be done and provide a report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes related fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental properties, we are completely qualified to evaluate each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be completed inside of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to each of Healthy Homes Standards inside of the anticipated timeframe could result in penalties of up to $7200. Additionally, if the most existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included in the new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement, there may be additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager is unable to provide the required information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant could receive an infringement notification and could be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person letting 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 current before the tenancy agreement can be executed, and it should be maintained throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face greater penalties for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are handed down for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearings.

Clearly, failure to comply with compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in large fines in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t risk your rental property Call us today and make arrangements to have a house assessment done on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research suggests that rental houses are likely to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and flu, asthma and heart diseases. Additionally, those who experience at least four key home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Ascot Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and minimise the disruptions to their work, education and living due to illness. Your investment will also be better protected from mould, mildew and damp damages, which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught Stopping within Ascot Park rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Ascot Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of lower temperatures in households. A damp home costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draft can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating out of a hole or gap, then it is probably a gap or hole which requirements sealing in somehow. Large cracks and gaps should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into your home need to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for ensuring such draughts are eliminated as much as possible.

You don’t need to block up intentional holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors may be required to allow for movement within the structure as the house gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will examine all doors and windows during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for healthy houses

Heating Ascot Park

Ascot Park rental properties need to have a stable heating source that can heat the main or largest living room to at least 18degC, even on the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health as well as their mental health.

The heating source needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and must meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if your current fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require 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 acceptable heating options for the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, then it must be equipped with an thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like a heat pump, then it could need a top up to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the quality since they’re either inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications on the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each living space within the rental property should have at least one openable doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air will be easier to heat, and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and dining areas are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside, and stay closed, allowing ventilation and fresh air air flow.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home with a bath, shower or cooktop, or any other water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems that can be vented to the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation throughout the living spaces and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Ascot Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation is required to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness, and will also make much easier to the home to hold heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values required for your area

The "R" refers to thermal resistance and is a measure of how well insulation is able to resist 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 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Learn more about this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and prevent it from getting into the building. When it concerns damp and moisture it’s often not apparent that it could be a huge problem and cause the property to suffer and harming the tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, including the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t get sucked into buildings is a vital aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be installed if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing 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 Ascot Park

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standard in Ascot Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchens
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to check in a home inspection to determine whether your rental property is in compliance with all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standards. There are a few examples:

• Is the sub floor space covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier present?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? need topping up or replacing?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today to book your rental properties home assessment.