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

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We can evaluate your rental property to check whether it’s in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any work which requirements to be done and provide a report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and landlords who are not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes related fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors for rental properties, as well as 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

As of 1st July 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks must be taken care of within 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for an Ascot Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to comply with any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the period of time expected can lead to penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within an updated, renewed, or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional fine or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the required information within 21 days of being informed of the request, they can receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

In addition, there is also a fine of approximately $900 for landlords or property managers who have provided a false or incorrect Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person leasing the property out and it could be the name of the landlord or the property management company.

All information in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date when the tenancy contract is signed. It should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that a landlord who manage several rental properties can face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for severe breaches. Landlords with more than six properties could be fined as high as $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

In the end, a failure to adhere to compliance with Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and ask us to conduct an house assessment done on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so Important?

One in three households rent the property in New Zealand and Ascot Park, and research shows us that these rental houses tend to be older, colder, are not as effective heating, and generally have lower standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular issues. Furthermore, people who reported four or more key house quality problems often experience lower levels of satisfaction with life and a decrease in mental wellbeing.

Improve the standard of Ascot Park rental property can allow tenants to experience better mental and physical health as well as lessen disturbance to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment is also better protected from mildew, mould and damp damage, meaning less costs of maintenance over the long term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well as Draught Control in Ascot Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Ascot Park

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

If a draft can be noticed from gaps that are not adequate or holes or holes, it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see an unobstructed draught coming from a hole or gap and you can feel it, it’s probably a gap or crack that needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be stopped permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that let air in or out into the house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be sealed from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure such draughts are eliminated as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to cover up holes or gaps which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows may be required to allow for movement of the building as the house warms and cools in order to let them be closed and opened rather than securing. We will test all windows and doors as part of your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are crucial to ensure well-being homes

Heating Ascot Park

Rental properties in Ascot Park must have a fixed source of heating that can warm the principal or the biggest living area to at minimum 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature 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), at least 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum requirement for heat capacity in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top up" with an additional heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating (or heat pump), it should be equipped with a thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For the majority of houses, bigger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. In some instances, like small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater may be sufficient.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source like heat pumps, it might just need some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to comply with the standard since they’re either costly, not cost-effective to run, and/or unhealthy to run.

Find the complete specifications to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Ascot Park

Each living space within a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture spaces like kitchens and bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor fan to get rid of moisture.

It is the ventilation quality is all about acknowledging how dry air is easier to heat and heat, and the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to grow 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 considered liveable and don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs at least to open to the outside, but remain fixed in an open position, allowing the circulation of fresh air and ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and any other area in your home that has shower, bath or cooktop, or any other moisture-producing item will require appropriate extractor fans which are vented to the outdoors. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans in areas with high moisture.

See the full details of The Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A cozy dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Ascot Park

Ceiling and underfloor insulation is mandatory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should make sure that the insulation is up to the new standard. In some cases, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might need to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of dampness and mould, and it will make more easy to allow the household to hold warmth.

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

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well insulation withstands heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 and 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 standard.

Ascot Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

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

Rental properties must have effective drainage to eliminate floodwaters, surface water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that water has a location to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture ingress, if your rental is enclosed between your floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be installed if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is typically a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the structure. It also helps in preventing any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Ascot Park

The areas of rental property that are affected to The Healthy Homes Standards in Ascot Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Ascot Park for Rental Properties

There are many things to be able to examine in an home evaluation to determine if your rental property is in compliance with the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. Some examples include:

• Is the space under the floor covered in insulation and is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation need topping up or replacing?
• Do you think the heating system has enough capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the home have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being in the wrong of a tenant solutions ruling can be extremely costly for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental property house evaluation.