Healthy Homes Assessment Churton Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure that their Churton Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties 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 evaluate your rental property to check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any tasks required. requirements to be done and provide the report with all the information required for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

We’re completely independent assessors of rental properties as well as fully certified for both 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, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be done inside of 90 days.

Since the 1st July of 2021, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed on the Churton Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards within the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a existing Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated in a new, renewed or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will be issued an infringement notice and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty as much as $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is whoever is named on the tenancy agreement as the one who is renting the property It could also be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement requirements to be correct at the time that the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any necessary work related to it is finished.

It’s also crucial to be aware that landlords with multiple rental properties may receive more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are handed down only for serious violations. Those who have at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

It is clear that failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in huge fines, in addition to continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Don’t put your rental at risk. property call us now and make arrangements to have an house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

Find the full information on details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes are important

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

About 1 in 3 households rent the property in New Zealand and Churton Park, and research indicates that rental houses are likely to be older, colder, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, especially for illnesses such as colds and asthma, as well as cardiovascular issues. In addition, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the standard of Churton Park rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruption to work, learning and living because of illnesses. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

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

Start now and call about receiving a Churton Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property today.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Churton Park

Draughts can lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold house will cost more to heat, resulting in wasted energy and resulting in higher bills.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air coming in or an unobstructed draught coming from a crack or a gap or crack, then it’s likely to be a gap or crack that requirements sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be stopped permanently. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air to enter or exit within the home need sealing. In the case of an open fireplace isn’t used it may cause draughts and should be blocked from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for making sure that such draughts are squelched whenever imaginable.

You don’t need to block off gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building when the house is heated and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors in your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Find the complete specifications of the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Churton Park

Rental properties in Churton Park should have a permanent heating source that is able to heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the most coldest days of the year. This is the minimum temperature indoors recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being as well as their mental health.

The source of heat requirements for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable), at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if the permanent heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to "top-up" by adding a second heater. Open fires and unflued combustion heaters, such as mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in those following the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat source, it should have the thermostat. This makes the heating more uniform and effective. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are required. In certain situations, like apartments with small spaces small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater could be enough.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, such as heat pumps, it might just need an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters aren’t able to be used to meet the standard as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

Get the complete information to details on Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Churton Park

Each liveable space in a rental property must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural ventilation. In addition, high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an venting fan outside to eliminate moisture.

A ventilation standard is all about understanding that dry air will be less difficult to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore don’t need an opening door or window.

Every window, door or the skylight needs for them to be in a position to open up to the outside, and stay fixed in an open position to allow ventilation and fresh air ventilation.

All bathrooms and kitchens and every other room of your property with a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented towards the outside. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate air circulation in every living space that includes extractor fans that are suitable in areas of high moisture.

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

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Churton Park

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required in all rental homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure that the insulation is up to current quality. In some cases, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lower the chance of mould and dampness and will also make an easier task to allow the household to retain warmth.

Insulation requirements to meet the R-values of your area.

The "R" stands for thermal resistance, and is a measure of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The more R-value is higher, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor 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

Find out all the details about this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Churton Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must make sure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it comes to moisture and damp it is typically those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem that can cause damages to your investment and affecting the tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to remove floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it doesn’t sit beneath buildings is an essential part of keeping your property dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

Ground moisture barriers are usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from rising into the property. It also assists in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage standard.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Churton Park

Rental property areas affected to the Healthy Homes Standards in Churton Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Churton Park for Rental Properties

There are numerous concerns to be able to examine when conducting the home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Does the ceiling insulation require to be topped up or replaced?
• Can the unit heat up enough capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? stopping of draughts?
• Does the home have adequate ventilation? This includes extractor fans?

The consequences of not having the Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for property managers and landlords. For expert advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property home evaluation.