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 ensure their Ascot Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy and all private rentals must be completely conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it meets NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about the work that requirements to be completed, and provide a report with all the details required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors for rental properties, we are completely certified 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 contract is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items need to be finished inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new or renewed lease is entered into on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Inability to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to an amount of $7200. Additionally, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within the renewal, new or revised tenancy contract, there may be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the home they reside in. If the property manager fails to provide the required information within 21 days from receiving the request, they could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is listed on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property and it could be the name of the landlord, or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Compliance Statement requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any necessary work related to it’s finished.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have more than six properties could be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to meet compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account resulting in large fines in addition to still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and make arrangements to have an home assessment done on your rental property.

Get the full description of this law. Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

A majority of households rent the property in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be colder, older and have less effective heating, and generally tend to be lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who report at least four key issues with their housing often have lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Enhancing the standard of Ascot Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better mental and physical health and minimise the interruption to learning, work and daily life due to illnesses. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which results 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, and Draught-stopping in Ascot Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss receiving a Ascot Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A draughty house is more expensive to heat, which completed jobs in wasting money and energy.

If a draught is felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be closed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you are able to feel external air entering or a clear draught out of a hole or gap, then it’s probably a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in some way. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit from your house require sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be blocked off. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring such draughts are eliminated in the maximum extent possible.

There is no need to block up intentional gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for the movement of the structure when the home gets warmer and cooler, to allow them to be shut and opened, rather than sticking. We will inspect all doors and windows during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Ascot Park

Rental properties in Ascot Park must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the main or largest living space to a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius, even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental outlook.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e. not portable) and at least 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll need to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters like portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating system you provide is electric heating or heat pump it should include a thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In some instances, like small apartments an electric, fixed heater may be sufficient.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source like the heat pump, it might just need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain types of heaters cannot be utilised to meet the standard as they are either not efficient, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unhealthy to run.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Every living space of a rental property has to contain at minimum one open window or exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about recognising the fact that dry air is more easy to heat and that a property that is well ventilated is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms kitchens, and dining areas are considered to be liveable spaces. Spaces that connect, such as the hallway aren’t liveable and therefore are not need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or skylight needs at least open to the outside, and stay set in an opening position, allowing ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your home that has shower, bath and cooktop or another moisture generating item will need appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation in every living space with the right extractor fan in areas with high moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A dry and warm house is a healthy house

Insulation Ascot Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers have to make sure that the insulation is up to this new standard. In certain situations, the old ceiling insulation as well as insulation within the sub floor space may require to be added or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and dampness and also makes more easy for the house to hold heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values required for your area

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more high the R-value, more effective 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, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from dampness isn’t just about the inside 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 the concerns you don’t notice that could be a huge problem, causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s health.

Properties that are rented must be equipped with effective drainage to get rid of rainwater, storm water and ground water. This includes the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to an irrigation system to stop moisture ingress, if your property has an enclosed space between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to stop any moisture that is present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also assists in preventing water damage to the floor 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 by Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Ascot Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Room
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are many concerns you should look for during the house evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Does the subfloor space protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replacement or topping?
• Does the heat pump have enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have sufficient ventilation including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us today to schedule your rental property house evaluation.