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 effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords now have to ensure that 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 rentals must be fully in compliance by July 1st 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After assessing, we will advise you or your property manager about the work required. requirements to be done, and provide an evaluation report with all the details required 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 in the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not conforming to the standards could be held accountable for up to $7200 plus any additional healthy homes connected fines.

We’re fully independent assessors of rental property, 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

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, when a brand new or renewed tenancy is signed on a Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work need to be taken care of within 90 days.

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, once a new, renewed or varied Tenancy is signed for the Clouston Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be taken care of within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Furthermore, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not incorporated within a new, renewed or revised 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 are related to the house they are living in. If the the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of receiving the request, they will receive an infringement notice and be fined as high as $750.

Furthermore, there’s an additional fine of approximately $900 for property owners or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is named on the tenancy agreement as the person who is who is letting the property which could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

The information contained in the Statement of Compliance needs to be up-to-date at the time that the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it must be updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that landlords who have multiple rental properties may receive greater penalties for non-compliance. The highest penalties are reserved for serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could receive fines of up to $50,000, and as much as $100,000 in hearing claims.

If you fail to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet and result in huge fines, in addition to still having to meet compliance. Don’t risk your rental property Contact us now and ask us to conduct a home inspection performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance So Important?

A majority of households rent from New Zealand and Clouston Park, and research indicates that rental houses tend to be colder, older, are not as efficient heating and tend to be of poorer standard than those owned by owners.

Cold, damp and mouldy houses can have negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. Furthermore, people who reported at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced mental health.

Improve the standard of Clouston Park rental property can help tenants enjoy better physical and mental health and minimise the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means less costs of maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a list of specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught-stopping within Clouston Park rental properties.

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

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Clouston Park

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in households. A cold house will cost more to heat, meaning wasting energy and incurring higher costs.

If a draught can be felt through gaps that are too large or holes, it requirements to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air entering or the air is clear out of a hole or gap that is, it’s most likely a gap or an opening that requirements sealing in the way you can. Cracks or gaps with large gaps must be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out from your home require to be sealed. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t used it can create draughts. This should be shut from. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as possible.

There is no need to block holes or gaps 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 home heats and cools, so that they are able to be shut and opened, rather than securing. We will check the windows and doors during your Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

Proper heating is crucial for well-being homes

Heating Clouston Park

Clouston Park rental properties need to have a stable source of heat that is able to heat the main or largest living space to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental wellbeing.

The heating source needs to remain fixed (i.e. not portable) and at minimum 1.5 kW in heating capacity, and it must have the minimum heating capacity needed to heat the living space in general. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the installed heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to "top-up" with a new heater. Fires that are open and unflued heaters such as the portable LPG bottle heaters are not considered to be acceptable heating options in The Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is an electric heater or heat pump, it needs to be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more reliable and effective. For most houses, larger fixed heating systems such as wood burners, heat pumps pellet burners, flued gas heaters will be required. However, in certain instances such as small apartments small apartments, a smaller electric fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source such as heat pumps, it may need a top up to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to achieve the standard because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

Find the complete specifications for the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Clouston Park

Each liveable space in a rental house must contain at minimum one open windows or an exterior door to provide natural airflow. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms need to have an externally vented extractor to eliminate moisture.

This ventilation quality is about recognising it is that the dry atmosphere is easier to heat and that an apartment that is well-ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

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

Each window, door or Skylight requirements to have the ability to open up to the outside while remaining closed to allow for fresh air circulation and air flow.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your home that has shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will require proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will make sure there is sufficient ventilation throughout the living spaces with the right extractor fan for areas that are high in moisture.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A comfortable, dry home is an ideal house

Insulation Clouston Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor has been compulsory in all rental houses since July 1, 2019. All landlords and property managers should ensure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In certain situations, the current ceiling insulation, or the insulation of the sub floor space may need to be topped up or replaced.

A well-insulated house can reduce condensation, and decrease the risk of mould and damp, and will also make much easier to the home to retain warmth.

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

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the more effective the insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 Underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder of the North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, 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

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

Clouston Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of the interior of the building it is also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere to allow surface, rain or ground water and to prevent it from getting inside. When it is damp and moisture, it’s usually the concerns you don’t notice that can cause a lot of trouble and end up causing damages to your investment and harming the tenant’s health.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage for the removal of floodwaters, surface water, and groundwater, with an appropriate outfall or runoff. Making sure that water is able to go and that it can’t linger underneath the structures is an crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to the drainage system that will prevent water ingress, if the property has an enclosed space between your flooring and soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier usually a polythene sheet laid over the ground, to block any moisture in the ground from getting into the structure. It also helps to prevent from causing damage to the flooring 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 Clouston Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted through the Healthy Homes Standards in Clouston Park include each:

• Living Room
• Bedroom
• Dining Room
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Clouston Park for Rental Properties

There are a variety of things to look over in the house review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. A few examples are:

• Is the space under the floor protected and does it have a moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replenishment or replacement?
• Does the heat pump have sufficient capacity?
• Do you have enough drainage? draught-stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home that is in compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of the tenancy solutions ruling can be extremely costly for landlords and property managers. For professional advice, call today and book your rental properties house evaluation.