Healthy Homes Assessment Manor Park

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you not know that Healthy Homes Standards came into in force on July 1, 2021? Landlords are now required to ensure their Manor Park rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of the start of any renewed or new tenancy and all private rentals are required to be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

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

We will evaluate your rental property and determine whether it satisfies the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts standards. After the assessment, we’ll advise you or your property manager about any work which needs to be completed, and offer an evaluation report with all the information required for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Inability to meet the standards under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not in compliance could face fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthy homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental properties and are fully certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6779

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

As of 1st July 2021, when a brand new or renewed contract is signed on a Manor Park rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance tasks need to be taken care of inside of 90 days.

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

Failure to meet any of the Healthy Homes Standards by the end of the deadlines can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if the most present Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated in the renewal, new or amended tenancy agreement it could result in an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Any tenant can ask for details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the building they reside in. If the landlord or property manager does not provide the necessary information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant could be issued an infringement notice and be fined upto $750.

Additionally, there is also a penalty of up to $900 for landlords and property managers who offer a false or inaccurate Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person who is liable for this fine is the person who is identified on the tenancy agreement as being the person who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance requirements to be accurate before the tenancy agreement can be signed. It is updated through the tenancy period as associated work has been completed.

It’s also important to remember that landlords with multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The harshest penalties are given only for serious violations. Those who have six or more properties can be penalised up to $50,000 and as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

Clearly, failure to adhere to requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, with huge fines, in addition to having to continue to comply. Don’t risk your rental property, contact us today and request a home evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

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

Healthy homes matter

What are the reasons why Healthy Homes Compliance important?

Around 1 in 3 households homes in New Zealand and Manor Park, and research has shown that these rental houses are most likely to be older, colder, have less effective heating and are of lower quality than owner occupied properties.

Moldy, damp and cold houses are linked to negative health outcomes, particularly illnesses such as colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, people who experience four or more major housing quality problems frequently have low life satisfaction and reduced well-being.

Improving the standard of Manor Park rental property will help tenants experience improved mental and physical health and reduce the disruptions to their work, education and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better protected from mould, mildew and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in less maintenance costs in the long run.

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

Begin now by calling about the Manor Park Healthy Home assessment on your rental property now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Manor Park

Draughts can lead to less temperature in homes. A damp home is more expensive to heat, which results in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draft can be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes the area requirements to be sealed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you are able to feel external air flowing in or an unobstructed draught coming from a gap or hole, then it is likely a crack or hole that requirements sealing in somehow. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into your home require sealing. For example, if an open fireplace is not in use, it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that draughts from the fireplace are removed as much as possible.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the construction. For example, tiny gaps around doors and windows could be required to allow for the movement of the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be shut and opened, rather instead of being stuck. We will inspect every window and door during the Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

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

The proper heating equipment is important to ensure healthy houses

Heating Manor Park

Manor Park rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the principal or the biggest living room to at least 18 degrees Celsius, even on the coldest winter days. This is the minimum indoor temperature suggested by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heating needs that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) with at minimum 1.5 Kilowatts in heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed for the main living room. A Heating Assessment Tool may be used to check if the fix heater(s) are sufficient or whether you will need to top up with a new heater. Unflued combustion and open fire heaters such as portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat source, then it must include an thermostat. This will help make the heating more consistent and efficient. For most properties, larger fixed heating equipment like wood burners, heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like apartments with small spaces, a smaller fixed electric heater may suffice.

If the living area already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it could require 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.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Manor Park

Each liveable space in a rental property has to include at least one open window or exterior door to offer natural ventilation. Additionally, areas with high moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan to take moisture away.

It is the ventilation standard is all about recognising that dry air is much easier to heat and a well ventilated rental property is less likely to develop mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallways are not living spaces and therefore don’t require an opening window or door.

Each window, door or skylight needs to be able to open up to the outside, but remain set in an opening position, allowing to circulate fresh air as well as ventilation.

Bathrooms, kitchens, and any other room in your house that houses shower, bath cooker or any other water-generating appliance will need adequate extractor fans that vent out to the outside. This Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough 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 comfortable, dry house is an ideal house

Insulation Manor Park

The insulation of the ceiling and underfloor is required to all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords are required to ensure that the insulation is in line with this new standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home will help to control condensation and lower the chance of mould and damp, as well as making much easier for the household to keep heat.

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

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

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 2 – the remainder part 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 the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation quality.

Manor Park Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from the effects of moisture isn’t just a matter of what’s inside the building It’s about having to make sure there is somewhere for surface and underground water to flow, and to prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it’s typically not apparent that it could be a huge problem, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s health.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and ground water. This includes an appropriate runoff or outfall. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and it doesn’t get sucked into structures is an crucial aspect of keeping your property dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid water ingress, if the rental has an enclosed gap between floorboards and the surface, a ground moisture barrier should be put in place if it is reasonably practicable to do so.

The ground-moisture barrier typically an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground to stop any moisture present in the ground from rising into the building. It also helps to prevent moisture damage to the underfloor insulation.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Manor Park

Rental property areas affected by the Healthy Homes Standards in Manor Park include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Manor Park for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things you should look for when conducting a home assessment to see if your rental property meets the requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. There are a few examples:

• Are the floor spaces well-insulated? Is there a ground moisture barrier in place?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Is there adequate drainage and the draught is stopped?
• Does the house have enough air circulation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home with regard to the Residential Tenancies Act and consequently getting on the wrong side of a ruling on tenancy services ruling could be significant for landlords and property managers. For specialist advice get in touch today to schedule your rental property house assessment.