Healthy Homes Assessment Clouston Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords must make sure their Clouston 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 are required to be completely in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas that are 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 requirements. Following the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of the work that needs to be completed, and provide a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy contract’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a violation of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not complying may be liable for up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes associated fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re 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 a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, if a new or renewed Tenancy is signed for the Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of by the end of 90 days.

Inability to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in an amount of $7200. In addition, if the present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t included within the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional fine or violation fee.

Any tenant can ask for information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the information requested within 21 days from having received the inquiry, they could receive an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for property owners or property managers who provide a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or information. The person responsible for this fine is whoever is named on the lease agreement as being the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be correct when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained during the entire tenancy, as related work is completed.

It’s important to keep in mind that landlords who manage multiple rental properties may face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are given for serious violations, and landlords who own at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 for hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your bank account hard, resulting in large fines in addition to having to continue to comply. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and ask us to conduct a house inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of how to apply the Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance important?

One in three households the property in New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research suggests that rental houses are most likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating and tend to be lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Moldy, damp and cold houses can have negative health outcomes, particularly for ailments like colds and flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. Additionally, those who report four or more major house quality problems often experience poor life satisfaction and lower psychological well-being.

Improve the quality of Clouston Park rental property can allow tenants to experience better physical and mental health, and lessen the disruption to work, learning and living because of health issues. Your investment will be protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a set of specific and minimal requirements for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, and Draught-stopping in Clouston Park rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Clouston Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts are a major cause of dropping temperatures within houses. A damp house is more expensive to heat, resulting in wasted money and energy.

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

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air getting in, or see the air is clear from a crack or a gap and you can feel it, it is probably a gap or hole that needs sealing in the way you can. Large gaps and cracks should be sealed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air to enter or exit into the house need the sealing. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and must be sealed from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block off gaps or holes which are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for the movement of the building as the house warms and cools in order to let them be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check all windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Adequate heaters are important for well-being houses

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties should have a permanent source of heating that can heat the largest or main living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The source of heat requirements to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity and have the minimum capacity for heating required in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool could be used to determine whether your current fixed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top up" by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as small portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be suitable heating options under Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is electric heating or heat pump it must have a thermostat. This will help make the heating more reliable and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating devices such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater may be sufficient.

If the main living room already has a fixed heating source, like an air conditioner, it might require an update in order to comply with the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be used to meet the quality as they are either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Every living space of the rental property should have at least one openable door or window to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to remove moisture.

The ventilation quality is all about acknowledging the fact that dry air is more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of damp and mould.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens, and dining areas are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway aren’t living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each door, window or Skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside and remain closed to allow to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and any other room in your house that houses a bath, shower and cooktop or another humidity-generating items will require adequate extractor fans that vent to the outdoors. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will check that there is adequate ventilation throughout the living spaces, including suitable extractor fans in areas of high moisture.

See the full details of the Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A warm dry house is a healthy home

Insulation Clouston Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory in all rental homes since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords should ensure that the insulation is up to current standard. In some instances, current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the subfloor space may require to be filled with or replaced.

A well-insulated property can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of dampness and mould, and will also make more easy to the household to keep heat.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values for your area

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

• 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 all of the South Island – ceiling R 3.3 (underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

The security of your rental home from moisture isn’t just about the inside of the building It’s about having to ensure there is somewhere for rain, surface and ground water to go and stop it from coming inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s often those things that you aren’t aware of that could be a huge problem and end up causing the property to suffer and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties must have efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water and ground water, which includes an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture present in the ground from accumulating into the home. It also helps in preventing moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

Learn more about the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Clouston Park

The areas of rental property that are affected through Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standard in Clouston Park include each:

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

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to look over when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the minimum requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. A few examples are:

• Are the floor spaces insulated and is a ground water barrier in place?
• Does the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Is the heater equipped with sufficient capacity?
• Are there enough drainage and draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the Tenancy solutions ruling can be significant for landlords and property managers. For expert guidance, contact us now and schedule your rental properties house assessment.