Healthy Homes Assessment Manor Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you know that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? The landlords are now required to make sure their Manor Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy, and all private rental properties must be fully compliant by 1 July 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 check if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager of any tasks which requirements to be completed and provide a report with all the necessary information for your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to meet the obligations in the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 in addition to any healthy homes relevant fines.

Our company is completely independent assessors of rental properties, in addition, we’re fully qualified to assess 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, if a new or renewed tenancy is signed for a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items have to be completed inside of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, if a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done inside of 90 days.

Failure to adhere to all of the Healthy Homes Standards within the period of time expected can lead to a fine of up to $7200. Furthermore, if a current Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included in the renewal, new or revised tenancy agreement, there may be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Anyone can request information about the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the landlord or property manager fails to supply the necessary information within 21 days from being informed of the request, they will receive an infringement notice and could be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty approximately $900 for landlords or property managers providing a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person who is responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is leasing the property out, so it could be the name of the landlord or the company that manages the property.

All the information on the Compliance Statement needs to be current when the tenancy agreement is executed, and it should be kept updated throughout the tenancy as any associated work has been completed.

It is important to note that landlords who manage multiple rental properties could face even higher fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down only for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can be fined up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in hearings.

It is clear that failure to comply with your Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with significant fines and continuing to be required to comply with the requirements. Do not risk your rental property, contact us today and make arrangements to have a home inspection performed on your rental property.

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

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

One in three households rent in New Zealand and Manor Park, and research suggests that rental homes are likely to be colder, older and are not as effective heating, and generally have lower quality than homes that are owned by the owner.

Damp, mouldy and cold homes are associated with negative well-being results, specifically for diseases like colds and asthma, as well as heart diseases. Furthermore, people who have reported at least four major home quality issues often suffer from poor life satisfaction and lower well-being.

Enhancing the standard of Manor Park rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and daily life due to diseases. Your investment will be secured from mildew, mould and damp damages, which means lower maintenance costs in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a set of specific and minimal standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation, Moisture ingress and Drainage, as well Draught Control in Manor Park rental properties.

Start now and call about having a Manor Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Manor Park

Draughts increase the likelihood of dropping temperatures within houses. A damp home costs more to heat, which means wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be perceived as a result of gaps or holes the area needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air getting in, or see the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is likely a crack or hole which requirements sealing in any way. Large gaps and cracks should be fixed permanently. Gaps greater than 3mm that allow air in or out into your home need sealing. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it can cause draughts and should be blocked from. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that draughts from the fireplace are removed as far as imaginable.

You don’t require to block holes or gaps that are part of the construction. For instance, small gaps around windows and doors could be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened instead of than securing. We will test every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

A good heating system is important for healthy homes

Heating Manor Park

Rental properties in Manor Park need to have a stable source of heat that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to a minimum of 18degC, even during the winter coldest days. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The heating source needs for it to be permanent (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity and have the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living space. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine if your current installed heater(s) are sufficient or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters like mobile LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be safe heating options in Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you offer is electric heating or heat source, it should be equipped with a thermostat. This makes the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger heaters that are fixed, such as wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. In certain situations, like small apartment buildings an electric, fixed heater might be enough.

If your main living space is already equipped with a fixed heating source like the heat pump, it may require an upgrade to be able to meet the standards. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to comply with the quality since they’re either not effective, cost prohibitive to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Manor Park

Each liveable space in the rental property should include at least one open window or exterior door to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor to get rid of moisture.

A ventilation quality is about recognising it is that dry air will be easier to heat, and that 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 areas. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not liveable and are not need an opening window or door.

Each door, window or skylight requirements to have the ability of opening to the outside, but remain closed, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your property with a bath, shower, cooktop or other high water-generating appliance will need proper extractor fan systems which are vented to the outside. We offer a Healthy Homes Assessment service will ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every living space and will also check for the proper extractor fans for areas that are high in moisture.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Manor Park

Underfloor and ceiling insulation has been compulsory to all rental homes since 1 July 2019. All landlords and property managers are required to ensure that the insulation is up to this new quality. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A house that is well-insulated can reduce condensation and reduce the chances of mould and dampness and it will make an easier task to allow the house to hold warmth.

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

The "R" is a symbol for thermal resistance and it is a measurement of how well insulation is able to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland - ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 and underfloor R 1.3

See the full details of the Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Manor Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Protecting your rental property from moisture isn’t just about what’s inside the building but you must ensure there is somewhere for surface, rain and underground water to flow and to prevent it from getting inside. When it comes to moisture and damp it is frequently those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment as well as affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties need to be equipped with efficient drainage to remove the stormwater and surface waters and ground water, which includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure that the water has a location to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath structures is a crucial aspect of making sure your property is dry.

Alongside an irrigation system to stop moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between your floor and ground, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

An underground moisture barrier usually a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to prevent any moisture in the ground from entering the property. It also helps to prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

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

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Manor Park

Areas of rental properties that are impacted with The Healthy Homes Standards in Manor Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Manor Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to check when conducting a home inspection to determine whether your rental property meets all the basic requirements of Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space insulated and is a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in require of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Is the heater equipped with enough capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught stopping?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy home in relation to regulations under the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a tenancy services ruling can be extremely costly for property managers and landlords. For specialist advice, call today and book your rental properties house assessment.